Lost Legacy
by Beansie
Summary: Before 'The Boy Who Lived' there was another story. This is the legendary story of the four boys one a hero, one a family outcast, one a traitor, and one a monster within himself, making it through Hogwarts and life. Currently in Year 3. Rewriting for DH.
1. Prologue: The Letter

**Prologue: The Letter**

**

* * *

**

_Before the story of 'The Boy Who Lived', there was another story.  
One of trust and friendship,  
bravery and deceit. _

_Broken vows extending through time  
could not have torn through the concrete wall  
of the friendship they once had. _

_This is the story of the four legendary boys;  
one a hero inside of a child,  
another a family outcast;  
one a monster within himself,  
and lastly one who would betray them all. _

_The four practically grew up together,  
helping each other when they fell:  
a resting shoulder.  
Risking their lives to help a friend  
and equally saving each other's lives. _

_You are passing through  
A Window to the Past,  
And trust me, my friend;  
**You may never want to leave.**_

**_

* * *

_**

A howl pierced through the night sky, interrupting any thought of sleeping that James Potter may have had otherwise. His eyes shot open instantly and he found himself lying on his pillow in bed, safe from any harm. He sighed in relief and sat upright, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. He picked his glasses up from the bedside cabinet beside his bed and slid them onto his thin face. Glancing at the grandfather clock in the corner of his room, he read 2:40, which was far too early for anyone to be up.

He slid easily out of his bed sheets and walked across the hardwood floor, out of the bedroom. Stealing a lone-lit candle from its stand, he walked through the deserted hallway and down the creaking staircase into the kitchen. He set the candle onto the counter and took a glass from the cupboard, which he proceeded to fill with water and drink.

Wiping off his mouth on the sleeve of his pajamas, James stole a quick look out of the window about the kitchen sink. A bright full moon lit up the night sky, casting dark, eerie shadows around his house and all of the other houses around his. The tombstones in the square in the center of the small village seemed to shimmer off of the light providing by the luminous orb, giving off the impression of ghosts rising from their eternal graves. James shuddered and looked up at the moon once more.

He blinked in surprise: something was silhouetted against the full moon. It was coming closer and closer when James realized it was an owl, its great wings flapping against the wind.

He opened the window when the owl came closer and allowed the creature to fly into his home. The large, gray barn owl rested itself on the counter and looked up at James with its round, golden eyes before letting out a loud screech.

"Shush!" James hissed at the crazy thing. He spotted the letter tied to the bird's leg and tried to untie it, only to be pecked at.

"Ouch!" he put his bleeding finger into his mouth. "Menace…." He muttered, opening the family change jar, which held spare sickles and knuts for whenever they were needed. He took out a silver sickle and slipped it safe into the owl's knapsack. He was usually not so cross with owls, but he was tired and wanted to return to his bed.

This time, the owl made no attempt to keep him from the letter as he untied it from its leg and allowed the bird to fly away again. He flipped the letter over to the front and read:

_Mr. J. Potter  
Number 13  
Godric's Hollow_

The letter was addressed to him, but why?

He flipped the envelope over again and saw a strange seal bearing an even stranger coat of arms. The seal had four pictures on it: one of a badger, one of an eagle, one of a lion, and one of a snake. A large letter "H" separated each of them.

He recognized this seal. He had seen it before so many times. Excitement swelled up in the pit of his stomach as he ripped the envelope open. Two papers fell to the floor. Bending down, he picked one up and unfolded it with excited hands. He knew exactly what it was.

_HOGWARTS SCHOOL of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY  
Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore  
(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock,  
Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards)_

_Dear Mr. Potter,_

_We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment._

_Term begins on September 1. We await your owl by no later than July 31._

_Yours sincerely,_

_Minerva McGonagall  
Deputy Headmistress_

James felt his stomach do a back flip, he was so happy! He had known that he was going to receive his letter! He had! "Mum! Dad!"

* * *

**A/N- Harry Potter and friends and everything else you recognize do not belonging to me as they are the property and creations of J.K. Rowling...but of course you knew that was coming!**

**My name is Beansie and I am currently a senior in high school. I first became interested in the Marauder Era backstory when I finished reading the third book for the first time. I began to write this story when I was in the sixth grade and have tirelessly spent the last six years rewriting it and perfecting it to my standards. I apologize if some do no not find it appealing, but overall I am personally satisfied with the work. I believe that it is a story that needs to be told and I am going to try to tell their story to the best of my abilities.**

**I am currently rewriting it to be canon with the final installment of the Harry Potter series, _Deathly _Hallows, and I must confess that I am sadly behind schedule. A few chapters are missing, but I hope that that does not discourage anyone from continuing because those will all be brand new chapters. Other chapters appear out of order, but that is only where I placed them in the new outline and I have not editted them yet. I apologize. I had deleted all of the chapters to this story and was slowly rereleasing them, but people missed the old chapters, so I reuploaded them. Many people are now complaining about my unorganized mess of chapters. I am at loss of what I should do! If many more continue, I shall probably take them down again and leave them down until new chapters are up. I am sorry for the inconvenience, but I am a hopeless perfectionist. The entire outline is not prepared yet, but the first ninety-five chapters are, or a few chapters into the sixth year, with many new chapters installed into the original story to make it more enjoyable and understandable. I hope it helps!**

**And so without any further ado, I give you the _Lost Legacy_ of Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs...**


	2. A Visit to Diagon Alley

**Year One: Chapter One  
****A Visit To Diagon Alley **

* * *

His alarm clock rang, waking him from his sleep. Slamming a hand down on it, James sat up once more and put on his glasses. And just as easily as before, he slid out from his bed sheets and put his bare feet on the hardwood floor. 

It was Saturday, almost a week since he had received his letter, and his father had promised to take him to Diagon Alley to collect his school supplies. A promise James was not about to allow him to talk his way out of.

He opened his bedroom door and stepped out into the sunbathed hallway. He went down the stairs again ad turned to the kitchen, where his mother was busy supervising the preparations of their breakfast. He had to move out of the way when the refrigerator door swung open and a carton of orange juice floated out and over to three empty glasses; it had nearly knocked him in the head. He shook his head and continued on to the dining room, where his father sat at the table, face hidden by the newspaper he was reading. James read the front headline, "GRINGOTTS GOES FOR TROLL INSURANCE."

"Morning, Dad," James greeted, taking a seat across from his father. He snatched up a handful of bacon his mother had already placed on the table.

Atticus Potter folded the newspaper and smiled. "Well good morning, James. You're not usually up this early. Are you excited for Diagon Alley?"

James grinned back. "Of course."

Mr. Potter smiled and took a drink from his red coffee mug. He was a considerably older father than most children would have, but James hardly noticed the difference. He was always there for him whenever he needed help and that was all that really mattered.

"Good morning, dear," Anita Potter said cheerfully, her face hidden by levitated trays of food. When she approached the table, she lowered her wand and the trays lowered to the table. She turned to her left, to where James sat. "James Potter! Go upstairs and change into some clothes!"

James looked down at his pajamas curiously. "I'm not gonna wear them outta the house, Mum," he reasoned and started nibbling on his toast.

"I don't care, go upstairs and change now." Mrs. Potter walked past him to her husband, her robes flowing behind her. She, too, was older in years and because they had had James so much later in life, she was very protective and worried about him. He was their only child, and therefore a special treasure.

James pushed out his chair and left the dining hall, went up the stairs o his room, and changed into something more appropriate: a deep purple Pride of Portree shirt and a pair of neat, new pants.

He ran down the stairs once more and slid into his chair. He began devouring everything on the plate in front of him, as if he would never eat again.

"James, James, James…." James heard his mother. She sounded annoyed about something, but that didn't stop him from asking, "What? What? What?"

"What are we going to do with that hair of yours?" James rolled his eyes; he was no stranger to this argument. No sooner had she spoken, he felt a wet comb start to try the fruitless task of brushing through it, but with little success. His mother just sighed.

"Does it ever lay straight?"

"Nope," he answered, finishing his eggs.

Mrs. Potter sighed again as James finished the last of what was left on his plate. "Well I suppose that's as good as it will ever be."

"Are you ready, James?" Mr. Potter asked, standing up from the table.

"Yeah," James grinned excitedly, standing up as well. The three walked to the next room: a large study. Shelves upon shelves of books covered the walls, books of all sorts. A comforting oak table sat in the middle of the room, dressed in a red tablecloth. And in the corner, there was an ancient fireplace.

They stopped at the fireplace. Mr. Potter stooped down and took a pinch of Floo Powder from the small metal container sitting beside the fireplace.

He stood up and walked into the unlit fireplace: it was tall enough that he didn't even have to stoop! "You know what to do," he said. "I'll go first to see that you end up in the right place this time," he added, with a playful, teasing smirk.

He paused and spoke as clearly as he possibly could. "Diagon Alley!" Green flames shot up and engulfed him; he was gone.

"Are you sure about this, dear? You could always wait another year or two-" Mrs. Potter began worriedly, but James interrupted her laughing.

"Mum, what sort of reputation would that give men? Stop worrying! I'll be fine," James gave her a reassuring hug to try and comfort her, but she continued crying.

"My little baby's all grown up and leaving for school!"

"I'll be fine, Mum-"

"I know…I know…being silly…." She straightened up, somewhat calmer. "You go off with your father then…and don't get into trouble!"

James chuckled, pinching away some Floo Powder and climbing into the fireplace. "Now what would give you an idea like that? Diagon Alley!"

He felt the strange sensation of being sucked down a giant bathtub drain, all the while spinning, spinning.… He kept his eyes shut, the green flames were only making him sick – his bacon and egg breakfast was churning all the while inside him, threatening to erupt any second-

He fell face first against to hardwood floor. He sat upright and straightened his askew glasses. James opened his eyes and gaped around the room he had just appeared in. There were bookcases everywhere, filled with large books, small books, fat books, and skinny books. He was in Flourish and Blotts.

He walked out of the fireplace and squeezed his way through the huge crowds of people huddled together in the cramped shop. He spotted his father.

"James, I was beginning to wonder whether you were coming," Mr. Potter chuckled. James shrugged and brushed the soot and ashes off of his clothes. The two found a deserted corner of Flourish and Blotts and read over the list of supplies James would need for school.

**HOGWARTS SCHOOL _of_ WITCHCRAFT _and_ WIZARDRY **

**Uniform  
**First-year students will require:  
1. Three sets of plain work robes (black).  
2. One plain pointed hat (black) for day wear.  
3. One pair of protective gloves (dragon hide or similar).  
4. One winter cloak (black, silver fastenings).

Please note that all pupils' clothes should carry name tags.

**Course Books**  
All students should have a copy of each of the following:  
_The Standard Book of Spells _(Grade 1) by Miranda Goshawk  
_A History of Magic_ by Bathilda Bagshot  
_Magical Theory_ by Adalbert Waffling  
_A Beginners' Guide to Transfiguration _by Emeric Switch  
_One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi _by Phyllida Spore  
_Magical Drafts and Potions _by Arsenius Jigger  
_Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them _by Newt Scamander  
_The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection _by Quentin Trimble

Other Equipment  
1 wand  
1 cauldron (pewter, standard size 2)  
1 set of glass or crystal phials  
1 telescope  
1 set of brass scales  
Students may also brings an owl or a cat or a toad or a rat.

PARENTS ARE REMINDED THAT FIRST YEARS ARE NOT ALLOWED THEIR OWN BROOMSTICKS.

"Oy, Dad, do you think I could smuggle one in anyway?" James asked with a mischievous smirk.

Mr. Potter laughed. "Not a chance, son. Well," he returned his attention to the paper," let's get started then." James and his father managed to push their way out of the crowds of students and parents with all of his new books.

They left Flourish and Blotts and bought supplies from many other shops such as Madame Malkin's Robes For All Occasions, the corner Apothecary and cauldron shop, and Eeylops Owl Emporium until they came to Ollivanders. The shop was narrow and shabby. Peeling gold letters on the sign over the door read, _Ollivanders: Makers of Fine Wands since 382 B.C. _James moved closer to the old, dusty window and wiped an area clean with his hand, covering it in the ancient dust. He peered into the window and saw a single wand lying on a faded purple cushion.

"Come along, James. I'm sure Mr. Ollivander will not want you smudging up his window," Mr. Potter commented from behind him. James turned around quickly and followed his father through the tiny door.

A tinkling bell rang from somewhere in the shop as the two stepped through in and let the door close behind them.

James looked all around himself. The shop was much larger inside than it had appeared to be outside. He felt as though he were in a library. There were countless shelves in the tiny place except instead of being lined with books they were filled with millions of small, rectangular wooden cases.

"Hold on, Stebbins, I've got another customer up front," a calm, older voice was heard from the back of the shop. Someone was walking up the aisles. He stopped whe he stood behind his desk and smiled at them. His skin was very pale and his wide, silvery eyes were almost haunting.

"Ah…" he seemed to consider father and son. "Potter? I'd surmise?"

Mr. Potter nodded.

The older man smiled. "Thirteen and a half inches, durable. Oak. Excellent for transfiguration."

Yes," Mr. Potter nodded again.

"Now if you'll excuse me I've got another young man waiting for me in the back. I'll be right back." He explained.

"Gon on," said Mr. Potter. The old man turned around and went back from where he had come.

They waited for another five minutes in silence that was occasionally broken by some sort of crash or bang. Finally, however, the old man and a red-haired, freckle-faced boy came out from the back of the shop.

The old man wrapped the wand and sold it to the boy for seven Galleons before attending to James and his father.

"Well, I must say...years are passing by like days lately. It seems your parents were only just here purchasing their wands," he looked at James's father, a twinkle in his silver eyes. He opened a drawer behind the counter and pulled out a long tape measure with silver markings on it " Which is your wand arm?" he asked, addressing James.

"Right," James answered confidently.

"Alright then, hold out your arm." James obeyed and he began measuring James from shoulder to finger, wrist to elbow, shoulder to floor, knee to armpit, and finally around his head. As he measured, he said, "Every Ollivander wand is different. No two are alike. Each wand has a core of a powerful magical substance. We use unicorn hairs, phoenix tail feathers, and the heartstrings of dragons. This is why they are different; no two unicorns or phoenixes or dragons are exactly alike. This also means that you'll never get the same results with another wizard's wand." He dropped the measuring tape on the floor and went off to another shelf. He came back shortly with an old, beaten case.

"It is not the wizard who chooses the wand, but the wand which chooses the wizard," he simply said, opening the case. Inside was a wand that he rested in his hands, "Eight inches, dragon heartstring, quite swishy, made of maple, wonderful for charms." He handed it to James who held it, observing it more closely.

James looked at it more curiously.

"Well, whish it a bit, come on," James did as he was told and there soon came a loud crash as one of the shelves had hit another and another, all along one row. When the dust settled, the old man stared white-faced at what use to be his shop. There were wand cases scattered everywhere among the collapsed bookshelves.

He snatched the wand away from James quickly and put away in its case again.

"Definitely not," was all that he could manage to say. He left to dig in the immense mountain of wands.

"I'm terribly sorry, Mr. Ollivander," Mr. Potter apologized.

"No, no," the old man shook his head, "it's…fine…here, try this one," he took one down from the shelf behind him; it hadn't toppled over. "Eleven inches. Pliable, a little more power and excellent for transfiguration."

This time, though, James knew he had the right wand as he felt some small warmness at the tip of his fingers.

"Oh yes! Bravo, Mr. Potter, bravo! Here give it to me and I'll wrap it up for you."

He did just that and set the wand on the counter between them.

"That will be seven Galleons." Mr. Potter handed him the money and they took the wand.

"Thank you, have a nice day," he smiled.

"You have a fine day as well, Mr. Ollivander," they left the shop.

"_That _was Ollivander?!" James asked.

Mr. Potter nodded.

"Atticus! Atticus Potter!" yelled a wispy-haired witch in grand red robes.

"Oh, hello!" he waved back to her. "James, do you mind if I speak with her shortly?"

James shook his head. "No, go ahead." His father walked across the street and spoke to the witch while James waited.

"So what if I'm a few knuts short?" a loud voice complained. Curious, James followed it to an ice cream vendor.

"I'm sorry, but that will be six knuts, take it or leave it," the cashier stated.

The boy grumbled something angrily under his breath and made to leave, but James, without knowing what he was doing, ran up to the boy.

"Wait! How many more knuts do you need?" James asked. The boy looked quite taken aback at the offer, as if he'd been slapped, but he didn't ague.

"Two," he grumbled. James smiled and pulled eight knuts out of his pocket, handing two to the boy.

He took them, an odd looking crossing his face. "Uh…thanks?"

"No problem," James grinned and handed the cashier his six knuts as the other boy gave his two. The cashier grumpily handed them their ice cream.

"Do you want to sit with me?" James offered and waited for a response.

"…Fine," the boy took a seat at the table while James sat across from him.

"My name's James Potter," he decided to introduce himself. "What's your name?"

The boy looked up from his ice cream darkly. "Sirius…."

James chuckled slightly. "Are you serious? Sorry…. You got a last name?"

If it were at all possible, the boy looked at him with even more hatred. "…Black…."

James saw it now! How could he have been so blind?! The boy shared the same aristocratic looks as the Blacks: dark hair, light eyes, slim build, sloped nose! Why he even had the Black family ring on his hand, it was covering half of his hand up! "Black!"

"Look, I'm not like those…people I have to call family, alright?!" Black exclaimed, glaring at James through his cold gray eyes. His ice cream was beginning to melt under the summer sun. James watched it as it dripped down the cone and onto his hand, onto his ring. Black looked down at his hand and wiped the ice cream off with a napkin.

"I'm sorry, I just…bad things about your family, that's all…." James said apologetically.

"Big surprise, that's what everyone thinks," he replied grumpily, but then sighed. "No, I'm sorry. It's just that…since I'm a Black, everyone thinks I'm like the rest of them…and I'm not…."

James nodded silently. "So why are you here?"

"I'm going to Hogwarts. What about you?" Black asked.

Me too," James nodded.

"So is this your first time in Diagon Alley?"

"Nah, Dad's taken me here loads of time," James answered before licking his ice cream so it wouldn't melt all over his hand.

"You like Quidditch?" Black asked. He must have noticed James's shirt.

"Oh yeah, I'm a huge fan! You?"

"No better sport than Quidditch!" the Black kid answered, beginning to smile. Perhaps he wasn't so bad…he seemed nice enough.

"Well James, it looks as if you've met yourself a new friend," Mr. Potter found the two seated together at the table. James and the kid jumped in shock.

"Oh yeah, this is Sirius Black, Dad," James instantly realized the mistake he made when he saw his father's smile fade away to only be replaced by a worried frown.

"Well we had better be off, James, we still have much to buy. It was…nice meeting you, Sirius," his father put on an obviously fake grin and pulled James away. James looked back at the boy sitting there as his father dragged him away. He stared back as the two disappeared around the corner. James felt sorry for him.

* * *

**A/N- Harry Potter and friends and everything else you recognize do not belonging to me as they are the property and creations of J.K. Rowling. **

**The school list is found in Philosopher's/Sorcerer's Stone. **


	3. Boat Ride To The Great Hall

**Year One: Chapter Two  
Boat Ride To The Great Hall**

* * *

September 1st and the tiny family drove to King's Cross Station in London. James could hardly wait: in less than thirty minutes, he would be on the Hogwarts Express that would take him and the rest of his classmates to Hogwarts.

They got out of the car and lifted James's school trunk out of the car trunk. And since they could not use magic in this widely Muggle populated area, they resorted to the Muggle was of pushing luggage around on a cart.

They walked toward the building. James read the humongous white letters: KING'S CROSS STATION.

James followed his parents through the large, glass doors. Never before had he seen so many Muggles in one place!

They moved quickly through the crowds, however, and stopped only once they were between platforms nine and ten.

James looked curiously at the platforms and then up at his parents with a confused expression. "If this is platform 9 ¾, where's the train?"

"You're looking at it," Mr. Potter chuckled.

"No I'm not-"

"It's hidden there between nine and ten," Mr. Potter pointed to the spot, a tall brick column.

"You have to run through the barrier," Mrs. Potter added. James nodded, understanding, and ran at the column when no one was looking.

When he opened his eyes again, he was standing on another platform: Platform 9 ¾. Wizards and witches of all ages were gathered there. Parents wishing their children the best of luck, siblings adding to support, young students shaking with fear, and older students laughing together with friends. Owls hooted, toads croaked, cats meowed, and rats squeaked.

And then he saw it. A scarlet steam engine was waiting on the platform: The Hogwarts Express.

"What do you think?" Mr. Potter asked.

James looked up at him. "Brilliant."

"Come along, you only have ten minutes before the train leaves," Mrs. Potter warned, looking at the giant clock that read 10:50. James quickly nodded and with the help from his parents and the train workers, had his luggage on the train.

The clock loomed two minutes shy of departure time when James's mother called him back. "Wait, dear! You didn't say goodbye!"

Despite the conductor's last call for students to be on the train, James ran toward his parents and hugged them tightly.

"Take care, James. And," Mr. Potter reached into his pocket, "here, three Galleons ought be enough." Winking, he dropped the gold coins into James's open palm.

"Thanks, Dad," James stuffed them into his pocket.

"Write whenever you can," Mrs. Potter instructed him.

"I will, Mum," James hugged her one last time and the two left the platform.

The train whistle was heard loud overhead and the doors of the train shut themselves simultaneously. With a quick jolt in the pit of his stomach as the train began to make way down the tracks, James bolted for it, praying that he wouldn't miss it. The train was thankfully going slow enough for James to run along side of it, but it was picking up speed and if he couldn't get on soon, he might well not at all.

As if by some miracle, a door in front of him opened and a boy's head peeped out of it: the same boy James had met in Diagon Alley.

"Here! Grab my hand!" Black hollered, outstretching his hand toward James.

James made an attempt to grab it, but failed. "I can't!"

"Yes you can! Grab it!" Black encouraged him.

James made another attempt, but missed again.

"Come on, James!" Black hollered, stretching out so far that with one wrong move, he himself would fall out of the train. James tried again and finally met Black's hand. Black almost fell out of the train with the added weight, but helf on as James climbed on.

They both fell to the floor, panting madly.

"Thanks…Sirius," James grinned as he called the boy by his first name.

"No problem, just next year…be on time," he gasped, almost laughing.

The two found a compartment occupied by one other first year, a girl. And a very pretty girl, too, James noted, with long, curly red hair.

"Mind if we sit here?" Sirius asked. The girl appeared to have not heard as she sat hunched in a corner seat beside the window, her face pressed against the windowpane. James shrugged and the two sat down opposite one another and began a loud conversation together.

As the train continued down the tracks through the countryside, the compartment door opened again. A sallow, small, stringy boy with overlong greasy black hair stepped inside, already dressed in his secondhand robes. He paid no attention to James or Sirius, however, but sat opposite the girl. She looked at him with puffy eyes before looking back out the window. She had been crying.

"I don't want to talk to you," she said in a constricted voice.

"Why not?" the boy asked, confused by her behavior.

"Tuney h-hates me. Because we saw that letter from Dumbledore."

"So what?"

She threw him a look a deep dislike. "So she's my sister!"

"She's only a-" he never finished, realizing it was the wrong thing to say. She was too busy trying to wipe her wet eyes to notice his mistake, however.

"But _we're_ going!" he stated, unable to hide the excitement in his voice. "This is it! We're off to Hogwarts!"

She nodded, mopping her eyes, but in spite of herself, half smiled.

"You had better be in Slytherin," the boy said, encouraged that she had brightened up slightly.

This statement instantly caught James's attention. He grimaced. He hated Slytherins, the whole lot of them, and anyone who would want to be in Slytherin.

James couldn't contain himself. "Slytherin?!" The boy and girl quickly looked at them, realizing for the first time that they were there. "Who wants to be in Slytherin? I think I'd leave, wouldn't you?" James asked Sirius, who did not return his smile.

"My whole family's been in Slytherin," he remarked darkly.

James had forgotten for a moment that he was talking to a Black. "Blimey! And I thought you seemed alright!"

Sirius grinned. "Maybe I'll break the tradition. Where are you heading, if you've got the choice?"

James held an invisible sword up before himself. "'Gryffindor, where dwell the brave at heart!' Like my dad."

The greasy-haired boy made a small, disparaging noise. James turned on him quickly.

"Got a problem with that?"

No," he answered, though his sneer suggested otherwise, "If you'd rather be brawny than brainy-"

"Where are you hoping to go, seeing as you're neither?" interjected Sirius.

The two roared with laughter. The girl sat up and looked from James to Sirius with dislike. "Come on, Severus, let's find another compartment." The two stood up to leave.

"Oooooo…." James and Sirius imitated her lofty voice; James tried to trip the greasy-haired boy as they passed them and left.

"See ya, Snivellus!" Sirius called. The compartment door slammed as the two continued to suffer from stitches of laughter.

A rapping came from the compartment door. Sirius managed to pull himself together long enough to stand up and open in. An older woman pushing a cart of treats stopped at their door. "Excuse me, sirs. Would you like to buy anything off of the trolley?"

"Uh…sure," James handed her one of his gold Galleons and in turn he received twenty Chocolate Frogs. He threw them down on the seat between himself and Sirius and the two began to grab and eat them.

"I've got a Dumbledore," Sirius said. He was an old wizard, Dumbledore, with a great white beard and twinkling blue eyes behind half-moon shaped glasses. Everyone in the wizarding community had heard of him and his great work. Sirius turned over his card anyway and read the back of it.

**ALBUS DUMBLEDORE****  
**Currently Headmaster of Hogwarts

_Considered by many the greatest wizard of modern times, Dumbledore  
is particularly famous for his defeat of the dark wizard Grindelwald  
in 1945, for the discovery of the twelve uses of dragon's blood,  
and his work on alchemy with his partner, Nicolas Flamel. _

_Professor Dumbledore enjoys chamber music and tenpin bowling._

"He's the Headmaster of Hogwarts," James grinned and flipped the card over again to see Dumbledore's picture, but he had already left it. He shrugged and opened another Chocolate Frog and read his card aloud.

**JOCUNDA SYKES**

_Famous for flying across the Atlantic on a broomstick  
-- the first person to do so. _

James and Sirius opened more Chocolate Frogs and collected more cards, including two Morgan Le Fays, Wendelin The Weird, three Merlins, Circe, and Herpo the Foul. Six hours later, the train slowed down and finally stopped. People pushed their way through the door and onto the tiny, dark platform. The steam from the train settled all around them, making it very difficult to see.

James spotted a lamp bobbing up and down in the air as it came closer to them. When it stopped, the light from the lantern illuminated its holder's face.

He was a giant man, possibly ten or eleven feet tall, with a great mane of shaggy black hair and a wild, tangled beard, but had soft black eyes that glinted like little black beetles under all of his hair. "Firs' years! Firs' years o'er here!"

The two, as did many of the other first-years, gaped open-mouthed up at him.

"Alrigh' then. That alla ya? Well let's be off, then, follow me," the giant said in his rough, booming voice. The first-years followed him, slipping and stumbling, down a steep, narrow path. It was so dark on either side, James thought they must be walking through thick trees.

"Yeh'll get yer firs look o' Hogwarts," he called back over his huge shoulder, "ju' round this bend here."

There was a loud "Ooooh!" among the students.

The narrow path opened suddenly onto the edge of a great black lake and James saw what everyone had been staring at. Sitting atop a high mountain on the other side, its many twinkling windows shining like the stars above them, was a vast castle with many turrets and towers.

"Alrigh' then, no pushin,' four to a boat!" said the giant, pointing to a fleet of eleven boats sitting in the water by the shore.

James and Sirius climbed into one boat and were soon joined by the same freckle-faced boy James had seen in Ollivanders.

"Steven Stebbins," he introduced himself.

James spotted a nervous looking boy still standing by the water's edge. "Hey you! Want to sit with us?"

The boy seemed surprised. "Are you talking to me?" he asked nervously.

Sirius rolled his eyes. "Of course not, we were talking with the tree behind you!"

The chubby boy turned red and climbed into their boat, introducing himself as Peter Pettigrew.

"And this is my pet rat, Wormtail! See, because his tail looks sorta like a worm?" he grinned excitedly. James nodded, bored, and Sirius looked back at the castle and yawned.

Their boat gave a lurch and began to move forward toward the school. James stared in awe at the castle on the other side.

"Look over there!" Stebbins pointed to a tree on the other side of the lake. It was unlike any tree James had ever seen. It was a tall tree, as many are, but had wild branches that swung in all directions as it attacked a small, passing animal. "What kind of tree is that?"

"Dunno," Pettigrew shrugged.

"Do you know what I heard?" everyone in the boat looked at Sirius, who sat in away in a dark corner.

"What?" Pettigrew asked.

Sirius grinned wildly. "I heard that there's a Giant Squid in this lake. And that if it's ever disturbed, it'll reach up, and pull the person down!"

Pettigrew moaned. "That's not true!" Stebbins argued.

"Oh really?" he rocked the boat slightly. The effect was immediate. Pettigrew let out a yelp of terror while Stebbins's eyes bulged.

"Stop it!" Stebbins's voice shook.

If at all possible, he grinned more madly than ever before. He began rocking the boat back and forth more violently. James joined him and they laughed as Pettigrew and Stebbins screamed.

The boat tipped and the four fell into the water. James and Sirius continued laughing and splashed one another as though nothing at all had happened.

Stebbins and Pettigrew were horrified as they frantically tried to climb atop their overturned boat.

"Alrigh' now, what did I say?!" the giant said roughly.

Stebbins and Pettigrew climbed into two upright boats, shivering from the freezing water as the cold air bit their skin. The giant had to pick both James and Sirius up by their collars and plop them into his boat.

Everyone it?" the giant looked back. The boat began to move again toward the castle, gliding along the clear lake.

"Heads down!" the giant yelled warningly as the boats reached the cliff the castle stood upon. The boats continued on through a low passage, curtained by ivy that hid the opening. The boats continued down the dark tunnel and James thought they must have been under the castle until they reached an underground harbor.

The boats stopped and the first-years clambered out onto the rocks and pebbles. Once everyone was out of their boats, they followed the giant up a passageway, coming out onto the damp grass in the shadow of the castle.

They walked up a flight of stone stairs and stopped at the huge oak front door.

Everyone here?" the giant asked before raising a huge fist and knocked three times on the castle door.

The doors swung open to reveal a tall, black-haired witch in emerald green robes standing there. She had a very stern face as she stared down at the new coming students.

"The firs' years, Professor McGonagall," said the giant man.

"Thank you, Hagrid. I shall take them from here," Professor McGonagall led the first-years through the Entrance Hall, a large, tall room with flaming torches hung on its stone walls, and up a marvelous marble staircase.

The drone of hundreds of voices could be heard behind a pair of large double oak doors – James guessed the rest of the school was already there – but Professor McGonagall showed the first years into a small, empty chamber off of the hall. They all crowded inside nervously, standing closer to each other than they normally would have.

"Welcome to Hogwarts," began Professor McGonagall. "The start-of-term banquet will begin shortly, but before you take your seats in the Great Hall, you will be sorted into your houses. The Sorting is a very important ceremony because, while you are here, your house will be something like your family. ("Can't be all that good then," Sirius whispered into James's ear.) You will have classes with the rest of your house, sleep in your house dormitory, and spend free time in your house common room.

"There are four houses at Hogwarts: Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. Each house has its own noble history and each has produces outstanding witches and wizards. While you are at Hogwarts, your triumphs will earn you house points while any rule breaking will lose house points. At the end of the year, the house with the most points is awarded the house cup, a great honor. I hope each of you will be a credit to whichever house becomes yours.

"The Sorting Ceremony will take place in a few minutes in front of the rest of the school. I shall return when we are ready for you," said Professor McGonagall. "Please wait quietly."

She left the chamber which quickly filled with curious and nervous murmurs.

"How exactly do they sort us into houses?" the red-haired girl from the train asked the greasy-haired boy beside her.

"Nothing too terrible. You'll see," he assured her. "I hope we're in the same house."

"Yes, me too, but I don't know which one I'd like to be in," she frowned. "I mean Slytherin is very good from what you've told me, but Ravenclaw and Gryffindor don't sound bad at all – and Hufflepuff would be fine, too, with all of the friendship and loyalty you said it has."

"My mum was in Slytherin, so I will be, too. Family usually stays together," he explained.

"Yes," she nodded quickly, "but you heard that boy on the train. He was hoping to be in one of the other houses even though everyone in his family had been in Slytherin."

The boy hesitated. "You'd do best in Slytherin. You're very-"

But he never finished. Professor McGonagall had returned. "Please form a line and follow me."

The first years lined up single file. Sirius stood in front of James while a frightened, blonde girl stood behind him.

They walked out of the chamber, back across the hall, and through the large double oak doors into the Great Hall.

The room was enormous. Hundreds of candles floated overtop four long tables, where the rest of the students sat already. Laid across these tables were golden plates and goblets. At the front of the hall was another long table where the teachers sat.

James looked up and saw the ceiling. It was velvety black and shimmered with stars. James saw a nearly full moon.

"It's bewitched to look like the sky outside," the greasy-haired boy told the red-haired girl. She gaped up at it in awe.

The first years stopped at the front of the hall and huddled closely together again. James watched as Professor McGonagall placed a four-legged stool in front of the first years. On top of it was an old, ragged, dirty black wizard's hat with a multitude of patches all over it.

James continued to stare at the hat as the Great Hall fell silent. For a few seconds, there was complete silence. And then, the hat twitched and a rip near the brim opened wide like a mouth and it began to sing:

_One thousand years ago,  
When Hogwarts was only new,  
Four wise creators built this school  
To educate all of you.  
Four good friends all saw fit  
To make the world's best magic school.  
They built this castle where you now sit,  
But needed students to make it full.  
Gryffindor in favor took all the brave,  
Ravenclaw became home for the wise,  
Hufflepuff housed loyalty,  
And those of pureblood were only honorable in Slytherin's eyes.  
But since the four have passed away  
So very long ago,  
They appointed me to you  
Upon your heads below.  
Now I have but one point of advice,  
So lend me your ears:  
Stand firm and stand together  
Or your future will not be clear! _

The whole hall burst into applause when the hat finished its song. It bowed to each of the four tables and then became still once more.

Once the clapping settled down, Professor McGonagall stepped forward holding a long roll of parchment. "When I call your name, you will put on the Sorting Hat and sit on the stool to be sorted," she said. "Annis, Josef."

A thin-faced boy walked up to the stool and put the hat on. After a moment, it cried out, "SLYTHERIN!"

The table second to the right cheered as Annis joined their table.

"Black, Sirius!"

"Good luck," said James, giving a smile of encouragement. Sirius nodded in return, ashen-faced and very nervous. He took a seta on the stool and Professor McGonagall put the Sorting Hat on his head. His grew larger as he gripped his fingers hard against the stool. James crossed his fingers and waited. A minute later, the hat cried, "GRYFFINDOR!"

The room was silent. Nobody knew quite what to do. And then, very slowly, the Gryffindor table clapped, softly at first, and then a bit louder.

Sirius took off the Sorting Hat and handed it to Professor McGonagall. He hopped off of the stool and ran to the table on the far left, all the while as the Slytherins glared coldly at him.

"Brocklehurst, Philip!" the next boy walked to the front of the hall and was sorted into Hufflepuff. Cheers erupted from the table of the far right.

"Bulfinch, Justin!" The brown-haired boy sat on the stool and was sorted into Ravenclaw. That meant every house had one person.

The next four girls were all sorted into Hufflepuff – "Catchlove, Greta," "Connor, Dorothy," "Donelley, Mary," and "Edwards, Kelly."

"Evans, Lillian!" The red-haired girl looked at the greasy-haired boy, her green, almond-shaped eyes grew twice their normal size. He nodded toward the hat and she walked toward it, knees shaking. She looked back at the greasy-haired boy before sitting down on the stool nervously. Professor McGonagall put the hat on her head. The hat shouted, "GRYFFINDOR!" almost immediately after it touched her head. The greasy-haired boy moaned as she took off the hat and walked to the Gryffindor table. She smiled back at him sadly as the Gryffindors clapped. Sirius moved down the bench to make room for her to sit, but she soon recognized him from the train and sat down two seats away instead.

"Goldkind, Matthew!"

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

"Gudgeon, David!"

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

More students were sorted. "Longbottom, Frank," was a Gryffindor and then –

"Lupin, Remus!" Everyone at the staff table looked up at the name, frantically scanning the crowd of students left to be Sorted.

"There!" a tiny little wizard with a wispy beard stood up in his seat, pointed to the boy, and toppled backwards out of sight. Many of the staff rose from their seats to help him, but froze when the boy walked toward to Sorting Hat.

James had expected him to have a unicorn horn coming out of his head, but he looked quite normal, considering the professors' reaction. He was a very short boy with sandy-colored hair and blue eyes. The only odd thing James could see at all were that bandage dressings were on both his hands. Had he been in an accident?

Lupin turned around and sat on the stool. Professor McGonagall put the Sorting Hat on his head. It slid down over his eyes; he was very small.

It took quite a while for him to be Sorted, but finally the hat yelled, "GRYFFINDOR!" He gave the Hat back to McGonagall and ran to the cheering Gryffindors, sitting down beside the red-haired girl.

"MacDonald, Mary!"

"GRYFFINDOR!"

"McKinnon, Marlene!"

"GRYFFINDOR!"

"Meadowes, Dorcas!"

"GRYFFINDOR!"

The group of students remaining to be Sorted were dwindling. Soon enough, however, Professor McGonagall called for "Pettigrew, Peter!" The small, mousy-haired boy whom they had shared their boat with stumbled clumsily up to the front of the Hall. Professor McGonagall put the Sorting Hat on his head and the whole hall grew still as they wanted for which house he would join. His Sorting took almost five minutes. He became the newest addition to Gryffindor, however, and was so pleased with himself, he ran to the Gryffindor table without taking the Sorting Hat off. Red-faced and embarrassed, he had to walk the Hat back to Professor McGonagall.

"Potter, James!" James heard his name and looked over to the Gryffindor table. Sirius gave him the thumbs up and James started walking toward Professor McGonagall. He took long strides and sat proudly on the stool. The Sorting Hat was placed on his head and he heard a voice in his ears.

"_Potter_?" it asked. James nodded. "_I know exactly where to put you, then_ – GRYFFINDOR!" James grinned toward the Gryffindor table. It was cheering loudly, led by Sirius. James took off the Hat and took a seat beside Sirius.

"Oh we're both in Gryffindor, we're both in Gryffindor! My mum's going to kill me!" Sirius cheered. James laughed.

"Rosier, Evan!"

"SLYTHERIN!"

"Ross, Topanga!"

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

"Snape, Severus!" The greasy-haired boy walked to the front of the Hall and sat on the stool. Professor McGonagall put the Hat on his head and after a few short seconds, it yelled, "SLYTHERIN!"

The Slytherin table erupted as the greasy-haired boy joined them.

"Good thing we were Sorted before him. I would have gotten grease all over my hair when I put that Hat on!" Sirius commented rather loudly to James. James laughed.

"Spencer, Lewis!"

"RAVENCLAW!"

There were only nine students remaining to be Sorted.

Starkweather, John!"

"RAVENCLAW!"

"Stebbins, Steven!"

"RAVENCLAW!"

"Summers, Emily!"

"RAVENCLAW!"

"Swearinger, Richard!"

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

"Taylor, Mark!"

"RAVENCLAW!"

"Thompson, Blaine!"

"SLYTHERIN!"

"Vaccariello, Mary!"

"RAVENCLAW!"

"Walker, Alice!"

"GRYFFINDOR!"

The Sorting Ceremony ended with "Wilkes, Eldred," who was Sorted into Slytherin. The old headmaster rose from his seat and outstretch his long arms, as if to embrace the whole school. "Welcome, welcome, to another year at Hogwarts. I have two words to say: tuck up." He sat back down in his grand, throne-like chair.

Food suddenly appeared on the golden plates before them. James gaped open-mouthed at the trays of food: roast beef, roast chicken, turkey, pork chops, lamb chops, sausages, bacon, steak, boiled potatoes, roast potatoes, mashed potatoes, fries, Yorkshire pudding, peas, carrots, corn, gravy, ketchup, and peppermint humbugs.

James filled his plate until he couldn't see the gleaming gold, and began eating.

"Ry rame ish Shiriush Blash," Sirius introduced himself to the Lupin kid beside him, mouth full of turkey.

"Pleasure…." He said unsurely before returning to his own plateful. At the end of the feast, everyone was stuffed to the brim. The food cleared itself away as quickly as it had appeared and the old headmaster stood up again.

"Now that we are all digesting another, excellent meal, before the wonderful prefects take our new students to their houses, I have a few important announcements to make. Firstly, the school is now home to a Whomping Willow, which is off limits to all students as it is extremely dangerous.

"The forest grounds are strictly off limits to everyone, as there are dangers you can only imagine.

"Many of you may have noticed that Professor McRight is not here this year. He retired last year, but he has been replaced by Professor Rankin, who I am sure will do a splendid job. Good luck, Professor!" The Great Hall applauded the professor in red robes.

"Mr. Filch, the caretaker, has once again reminded me to tell you that no magic will be permitted in the corridor between classes, and that he would greatly appreciate it if certain students would stop hiding his cat in the broom closet or anywhere else for that matter.

"Quidditch tryouts will be held during the second week of term," James perked up at the mention of Quidditch, his favorite game. He knew he would be unable to tryout for the house team until his second year, though.

"Now before you all rush off to rest for the upcoming school year, let us start the year off by singing the school anthem. One, two, three!" The wizard directed them with his wand as large words written in golden ink wrote themselves above him.

And the school sang:

_Hogwarts, Hogwarts, Hoggy, Warty Hogwarts,  
Teach us something, please!  
Whether we be old and bald,  
Or young with scabby knees!  
Our heads could do with filling  
With some interesting stuff!  
For now they're bare and full of air,  
Dead flies and bits of fluff.  
So teach us things worth knowing,  
Bring back what we've forgot,  
Just do your best, we'll do the rest  
And learn until our brains rot! _

A loud eruption of applause filled the Great Hall, the old wizard one of the loudest. When the excitement died away slightly and the clapping ceased, the students began filing out of the Great Hall. The Gryffindor first years collected around the prefect and were about to leave for Gryffindor Tower when Professor McGonagall approached the crowd and called for Lupin.

"Come with me, Mr. Lupin, Professor Dumbledore would like a word," she said. James watched him leave with McGonagall, shaking from nervous head to nervous foot with the prospect of meeting the headmaster.

"Come on, this way," the prefect spoke up, grasping their attention once more. They followed him out of the Great Hall and up the marble staircase. They were led through doorways hidden behind sliding panels and hanging tapestries.

They stopped at a great scale of staircases. "Be careful, the stairs move," warned the prefect. And sure enough, a staircase moved and stopped before them, allowing them to trek up. The moving portraits hanging from the walls waved and whispered and pointed as they climbed higher and higher, all the way to the seventh floor.

They walked down a corridor and at the end of it hung a large portrait of a very fat woman in a pink, silk dress. "Password?" she asked.

"Dragon Breath," recited the prefect, and the portrait swung forward to reveal a round hole in the wall. They all climbed up into it (Peter Pettigrew needed a leg up) and followed its passage into the Gryffindor Common Room, a cozy, round room with squashy armchairs, tables, and a bright lit fireplace.

"Whoa," gaped MacDonald.

"Boys' dormitory is on your left up the stairs, and the girls' is the same on your right," the prefect directed them to their dorm. James, Sirius, Pettigrew, and Longbottom climbed up the spiral staircase – they were obviously in one of the towers – and opened the door to their dormitory. There were five four-poster beds draped with deep red, velvet curtains. Their trunks had already been brought up.

"Great!" Sirius leapt onto the bed behind the trunk labeled S.B.

"Hello, my name's Frank Longbottom," the tall, brunette introduced himself.

"James Potter," he accepted his handshake.

"I'm P-Peter P-P-Pettigrew," the chubby boy.

"And I'm Sirius Black!" Sirius grinned devilishly from the bed.

"I know who _you_ are," Longbottom scowled and knelt down to take his pajamas out of his trunk. Sirius's grin slid off his face as though he had received a particularly painful slap across the face.

Teeth bared and face full of dislike, he leapt down from the bed and crossed the room to Longbottom in three quick strides and pointed his wand at the back of his unsuspecting head. "What's that supposed to mean?!"

Longbottom turned around lazily, but froze when he saw the wand pointed less than an inch from his face. "I…I meant - "

"Don't you think I was Sorted into Gryffindor for a reason?! I'm not like the rest of them!"

Longbottom nodded and scrambled away quickly, locking himself in the bathroom away from Sirius.

Still seething, Sirius went back to his own bed and opened his trunk and threw clothes on the top across the room as he dug for his pajamas.

Remus Lupin returned from his meeting with Professor Dumbledore, but stopped at the door.

He paused, watching Sirius toss his belongings everywhere angrily. "Is there something wrong?"

Sirius looked up at Lupin slowly and darkly. James was surprised the waves of hatred emanating from Sirius didn't burn Lupin off the face of the earth. "Shove off, Lupin."

Lupin blinked in surprise, but continued on into the room, stopping only at his battered trunk to take out his pajamas.

Longbottom slipped into the dormitory again, in his pajamas, and walked the distance to his bed, doing his best to ignore Sirius glaring at him. He climbed into his bed and quickly drew the curtains around himself, so that no one could see him.

Lupin changed in the bathroom as well while James and Pettigrew changed in the dorm. Sirius didn't move.

Not sure what he should say and not wanting to make the current situation any worse, James climbed silently into bed. Lupin and Pettigrew took his example and did the same, all hoping the next day would prove itself to be better.

* * *

**A/N- Harry Potter and friends and everything else you recognize do not belonging to me as they are the property and creations of J.K. Rowling. **

**The** **Sorting Hat's Song was written by me. The Hogwarts' School Anthem was written by J.K. Rowling.**


	4. The Howler

**Year One: Chapter Three  
The Howler**

* * *

"So let's see…we've got Charms first thing, then Transfiguration, Herbology, and History of Magic, that outta be fun, I've heard it's taught by a ghost. Then Lunch, Defense Against The Dark Arts, and Potions," James read off of his timetable. Sirius nodded and chugged down his tall glass of orange juice. All first year Gryffindor students had the same exact schedule and attended classes with one other group of first years from one of the other three houses. 

"Mail's here!" James exclaimed as he saw hundreds of owls fly through the windows into the Great Hall, all carrying parcels and packages and letters for their owners. They'd circle the Great Hall, and once they found their owners, they'd drop their packages into their laps and fly off. Occasionally, they'd stop at the table to nibble on their owner's finger or snatch a slice of toast.

A beautiful black owl with sleek feathers flew over them and dropped a letter for Sirius. A very deep, scarlet letter.

"Uh oh…." James dropped the roll he had been eating.

"Hey look! It's a Howler!" a third-year boy pointed at Sirius. His group of friends laughed as Sirius stared apprehension at the red envelope, swallowing the lump forming in his throat.

He tore open the envelope with trembling fingers and James stuffed his fingers into his ears. The letter jumped out of his hands and onto the table. It then leapt into the air and stayed there, suspended as if by invisible strings. It opened itself and proceeded to shout its message at him.

"SIRIUS BLACK! I DON'T BELIEVE IT! GRYFFINDOR?! GRYFFINDOR! WHAT COULD YOU POSSIBLY HAVE BEEN THINKING?! YOU'RE FATHER AND I ARE FURIOUS! YOU'RE PROBABLY MAKING FRIENDS WITH THE MUDBLOOD, HALF-BREED, BLOOD TRAITOR SCUM THAT CALL THEMSELVES GRYFFINDORS!"

Sirius slipped father down into his seat as his mother's magically amplified voice shook dust down from the ceiling.

"YOU ARE NO SON OF MINE! WHY CAN'T YOU BE MORE LIKE YOUR BROTHER REGULUS?! AT LEAST HE UNDERSTANDS THE HONOR OF BEING PUREBLOOD!"

The entire Hall listened on silently. The Slytherins snickered quietly while the Gryffindors glared at Sirius coldly.

"YOU'RE FATHER AND I WILL BE MAKING A TRIP TO HOGWARTS TO ARRANGE YOU TO BE IN SLYTHERIN! YOU HAVE CAUSED THIS FAMILY SHAME ENOUGH! EVERY BLACK HAS BEEN IN SLYTHERIN SINCE BEFORE YOU WERE BORN AND YOU WILL NOT RUIN THIS TRADITION! SHAME OF MY BLOOD! WE WILL STRAIGHTEN YOU OUT, BOY!"

A ringing silence that seemed to taunt him fell across the Hall. The red envelope burst into flames and the ashes fell down onto Sirius's breakfast.

"Mudblood, half-breed, blood traitor scum that call themselves Gryffindors?" James repeated. The Howler stunned him and Sirius.

"You don't think I think that, do you?!" Sirius challenged.

"No!" James shook his head, but he was still not sure and this must have reflected.

"My owl can lie better than that, Potter," Sirius stood up and left the Great Hall. James sighed down at his eggs and stood up as well. He picked up his bag and Sirius's forgotten one and left the Great Hall, too.

Both bags were heavy and they weighed him down, so he was unable to run after Sirius. He decided to start off for their Charms class on the third flood when he nearly tripped over a pair of legs. Doubling back, he saw Sirius sitting on the stone floor, his legs stretched out long. He looked up at James and glared. "You think I'm like the rest of them, don't you?"

"Sirius…." James sighed and set the bags down beside Sirius. "No real Black would want to be in any house other than Slytherin, most especially of all Gryffindor," he knelt down on the floor by Sirius. "I don't know, but that _must _mean something!"

"I know…but you heard my Howler…my parents will be here today and I'll be in Slytherin…."

"They can't make - "

"Yes they can, James. Yes they can," Sirius interrupted James, a sort of pained expression on his face.

James looked down at his hands dumbly. "But it should be your choice…what house you'll be in…that's how we were Sorted."

Sirius chuckled. "If it were only that easy." He looked down as his hands, too, and turned the Black family ring around his finger. "'_Toujours Pur_.' Always Pure…." He looked up from his ring and stared at the painting of three chattering monks on the opposite wall. "You know, I should have dropped this into the Great Lake when we were in the boats. I don't think the Giant Squid would have wanted it either, though." He chuckled softly at himself and James smiled.

"Let's go to class," James suggested," James suggested, standing up. Sirius stayed put.

"Yeah…today will probably be the last day we are in all of our classes together…." he said, sounding pitifully depressed at the idea.

"All the more of an excuse to raise hell," James smirked, hoping to cheer his friend up. Sirius didn't smile, but continued to stare at the painting of the monks.

"James?"

"Yeah?" James asked, concerned.

Sirius hesitated. "James," he looked up into James's hazel eyes, "we can still be friends even if I'm in Slytherin, right?"

James studied him hard for a while. "You're a Gryffindor no matter what to me."

Sirius nodded slowly but didn't say anything.

"Come on, we'd better get to class."

Sirius nodded and picked up his schoolbag. He stood up and the two found the Charms classroom. They took their seats side-by-side together. It was a long classroom, with one long bench on either side. The walls were made of thin panels of wood, all covered in some sort of ancient language. In the front of the room stood a podium and behind in, a staircase made of books leading to a tall pile of books. The short professor that had fainted at their Sorting Ceremony walked up the staircase of books and stopped on top of the stack of books. "Welcome to Charms!" he greeted them with his squeaky voice. "In this class, you will be learning some useful and fun spells! My name is Professor Flitwick and I shall be your teacher! Now before we begin, I shall take attendance. Black, Sirius?"

"Here!"

"Brocklehurst, Philip?"

"Here."

"Catchlove, Greta?"

"Here."

"Connor, Dorothy?"

"Here."

"Donelley, Mary?"

"Here.

"Edwards, Kelly?"

"Here."

"Evans, Lillian?"

"Here."

"Goldkind, Matthew?

"Here."

"Gudgeon, Davy?"

"Here!"

"Longbottom, Frank?"

"'ere."

"L-L-Lupin!" The professor let out a squeak and fell back off of the stack of books. Many students sitting closest stood up and helped him onto his feet again. "Thank you!" he said, sounding especially squeaky. "L-Lupin, R-Remus?!" he continued taking attendance.

"H-Here…." The tiny boy slipped down in his seat, his pale, peaky face as red as a tomato.

"MacDonald, Mary?"

"Here."

"McKinnon, Marlene?"

"Here."

"Meadowes, Dorcas?"

"Here."

"Pettigrew, Peter?"

"Here."

"Potter, James?"

"I'm not here!"

"Alright, I'll just mark you absent then," Professor Flitwick scribbled something behind his podium. "Ross, Topanga?"

"Here."

"Smith, Oliver?"

"Here."

"Swearinger, Richard?"

"Here."

"Walker, Alice?"

"Here."

"Excellent! Besides for Mr. Potter, everyone is here! So let's begin, shall we? The first thing we shall learn is the simple swish and flick movement. Remember swish and flick!" Flitwick demonstrated for them. "Now you all try, swish and flick. One, two, three!"

The class began to practice swishing and flicking their wands wile Professor Flitwick came around to help certain students having trouble and praise those with neat wandwork.

"Yes, look here everyone! Miss Evans has it!" he clapped.

James heard a loud explosion on his right. He, and the rest of the class, turned quickly to see what had happened. Pettigrew's head had caught fire!

The chubby boy screamed in surprise and fright as he tried fruitlessly to fan it out with his hands.

"_Aguamenti_!" Professor Flitwick pointed his wand at the frantic boy. A stream of water shot out from the end of his wand and soaked the boy, extinguishing the fire in his hair.

"The boy's normal small, watery eyes were the size of gold Galleons as he stared up at his singed locks.

"There you have it! Homework, simply practice the swish and flick movement, it will be very important for later lessons. You're dismissed," Professor Flitwick said as the doors of the classroom swung open as if by their own accord. The students left for their next lessons.

"Nice one, Pettigrew! You should have seen the look on your face," Sirius appeared to have cheered up since the Howler incident and he laughed, slapping the small boy on the back as he walked past. He stopped and looked back at him with a small, unsure smile. "Thanks…I think…."

Pettigrew followed closely behind James and Sirius as they entered the Transfiguration classroom, though they paid him no attention. They took two seats in the very far back of the room. Everyone was seated ready for class and yet the professor still was nowhere to be seen. A tabby cat with square markings around its eyes sat on the desk, watching all of the students as they spoke excitedly with one another.

The cat lunged forward and transformed into the witch in emerald robes from their Sorting Ceremony.

Professor McGonagall looked out at the class through her square spectacles. The class instantly became quiet. "I don't know about your other professors, but while I am here or supposedly not here, you are to wait silently," she reserved a look for the table in the back of the room, where most of the noise had come from. She continued, "Good morning, my name if Professor McGonagall and I shall be your Transfiguration teacher," she began. "Transfiguration is some of the most complex and dangerous magic you shall learn at Hogwarts. I shall not accept any nonsense in this classroom or that person causing it will leave and not return again. You have been warned," said the strict woman, pointing her wand at her desk and changing it into a pig. There was a loud "Oooooh!" among the students, who were eager to transform their desks into pigs as well, but instead took a long set of notes. They were then given matches and told to change them into needles. By the end of the class, James was the only person to have made any difference to his match. It still had the red tip, but had become slimmer and pointier and had a hole through the top.

"That Ollivander bloke said my wand was good for Transfiguration!" James boasted as they walked out onto the grounds and into the Greenhouses for Herbology. Professor Sprout was a plump, kind woman and Head of Hufflepuff House. She taught them all about strange plants and fungi and their uses.

History of Magic was easily the most boring subject and the only one taught by a ghost. Professor Binns was very old when he died. He had fallen asleep by the fireplace in the staff room and when he woke up in the morning, he just left his body behind and went back to class. Binns droned on and on as they scribbled down notes and confused Emeric the Evil and Uric the Oddball with each other.

After eating in the Great Hall, they walked up the marble staircase in the Entrance Hall and into the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom on the first floor.

"Welcome to Defense Against the Dark Arts. My name is Professor Rankin," he wrote his name on the blackboard and took the attendance like Flitwick, looking at Lupin curiously, too, as he read his name.

Sirius flipped through the pages of his book while the professor took attendance, bored, but stopped at one of the final pages. "James…." He nudged him in the side. James looked to see.

Sirius had stopped on one of the final chapters, the chapter about werewolves. James watched the illustration of a wizard as he went through the painful transformation of turning into a werewolf. He held his head, screaming in agony, though they couldn't hear his cries. His hands sprouted hair, he fell to his knees, on all fours, his face lengthened, he grew a tufted tail –

"This year," Professor Rankin stole James's attention away from the book, but Sirius never looked up from the illustration, "we shall be studying an assortment of darm creatures, from grindylows and Red Caps to acromantulas and werewolves." A nervous chair shifted in the back of the room. James turned around and saw Lupin seated in that chair, as pale as Nearly Headless Nick, the Gryffindor House ghost. He stifled a snort of laughter and returned his attention to Professor Rankin.

"Now, who can tell me what the Dark Arts are?" The room was very quiet until Lupin slowly raised his hand.

"Yes, Mr. Lupin."

"The Dark Arts differ from other forms of magic in that the castor's intent is to cause harm…." Lupin trailed off, unsure.

"Yes," the professor nodded thoughtfully and spun around quickly to write something on the blackboard, his robes twisting around his legs. He flipped the black board over and wrote _Dark Creatures_. "Can anyone tell me what a Dark Creature is then?"

A Ravenclaw boy named Justin Bulfinch raised his hand.

"Mr. Bulfinch, yes."

"A Dark Creature would then be any creature that intends to cause harm to a wizard - "

" – or witch, yes," the professor nodded once more and pointed at the blackboard. "With that knowledge, can any of you tell me which creatures could be called Dark?"

Half of the class shot their hands up eagerly.

"Miss Summers?"

"Acromantulas, I think."

"Yes," Professor Rankin wrote _acromantula_ on the blackboard. "A large spider creature with a poisonous bite. While they are capable of human speech, Acromantulas are classified as beasts rather than beings due to their violent nature. Mr. Pettigrew, why don't you give us another."

"Uh…dragon?" Peter Pettigrew answered unsurely.

"Yes, the dragon," he wrote _dragon _on the blackboard. "The large, reptilian beast that flies and breathes fire. They are some of the most awe-inspiring and dangerous beasts. And how many different species of dragons are there, Mr. Pettigrew?"

"Nine?"

"Ten, very close. They include the Chinese Fireball, Peruvian Vipertooth, Swedish Shortsnout, Common Welsh Green, Norwegian Ridgeback, Romanian Longhorn, Hebridean Black, Ukrainian Ironbelly, Antipodean Opaleye, and the Hungarian Horntail, which we are actually rather fortunate to have a skeleton of above you." The students looked up and sure enough, the skeleton of a Hungarian Horntail hung from the ceiling of the classroom above them. "Miss Meadowes?"

"Vampires."

"We will be studying them, Miss Meadowes, but there is a great deal of controversy of them, and werewolves, and whether they are considered beings or beasts. For these lessons, though, we shall be referring to them as the latter."

The chair shifted in the back of the room again.

"Miss Vaccariello?"

"Basilisk."

"Yes," he wrote _basilisk_. "Wizard-bred creatures, they are extremely poisonous serpents, also known as the King of Serpents. Mr. Taylor?"

"A boggart."

"Yes, boggarts," the name was added to the list, "very unique creatures. Can you tell me what one looks like, Mr. Taylor?"

"No one knows. They take the shape of whatever a person is most afraid of," answered Mark Taylor.

"Precisely. They like dark, small spaces and take the form of the thing most feared by the person who encounters it. Miss Walker?"

"Trolls, professor."

Professor Rankin wrote _trolls_ on the blackboard. "There are three different types of trolls. Mountain trolls, forest trolls, and river trolls. They aren't exactly the smartest of creatures either, but that should not divert you from thinking it's dangerous. Mr. Stebbins?"

"Phoenixes.

"Yes, phoenixes are rather interesting creatures. Not really Dark Creatures, but very difficult to domesticate," said Professor Rankin, flipping the blackboard over once more as he had no more room to write anything. His name had disappeared and the blackboard was completely clean again. "Phoenixes are capable of carrying heavy loads and their tears contain a special healing power. Probably the strangest thing about phoenixes, however, is that when their body's become old and frail, they will die in a burst of flames only to be reborn again out of the ashes. Fascinating creatures. Miss Evans?"

"Dementors."

The room became quiet. Sirius finally looked up from the illustration for the first time in five minutes at the word. Professor Rankin looked curious. "You're muggleborn, correct?"

Evans nodded smally.

"Where did you hear about dementors?" he asked.

"I was told about them over the summer. They guard the wizard prison, Azkaban, right? And suck all of the happiness out of the air?" continued Evans.

All eyes were on Rankin. "You must all understand me. Dementors are perhaps the foulest creatures that walk the earth. They infest the darkest, filthiest, gloomiest places; they glory in decay and despair, draining peace, hope, and happiness out of the air around them. Get too close to a dementor and every good feeling will be sucked out of you. If it can, the dementor will feed on you long enough to reduce you to something like itself. Soulless and evil. You will be left with nothing but your worst memories."

"But then…they guard Azkaban! What about the wizards and witches there?! What becomes of them?!" interjected Evans frantically.

"The dementors feed on their happy thoughts and memories, which means spending too much time in Azkaban makes the prisoners lose all hope and good feeling and happy thoughts. Some go mad, others despair and give up living and eventually die."

"That's completely barbaric," Evans made no attempt whatsoever to restrain herself.

"Perhaps, but when someone goes to Azkaban, they usually deserve it tenfold. We will not be discussing dementors in these lessons. You will learn about them later. Now, Mr. Black?"

"Huh?" Sirius had been so engrossed by the discussion about dementors that he hardly realized his name had been called.

"A Dark Creature, Mr. Black?" Professor Rankin repeated. Several students snickered.

"Right…." Sirius's gaze returned to the illustration, "Uh…werewolf…."

The chair in the back of the room shifted again. Professor Rankin looked thoughtful once more. "Yes, werewolves. Similar to vampires in that classifying them has become a problem. Werewolves are unique in the fact that they don't technically exist but for one night a month on the full moon. All other times, however, they appear to be normal humans. The term werewolf refers to both, however," he wrote _werewolf_ on the blackboard. "That ought to be enough," he brushed the chalk off his hands. "These are a few of the Dark Creatures that we will be learning about this year. If you'll all read over the introductory in your books before the end of class."

The class left and the Gryffindors descended to the lower levels of the castle. It was colder down there than the rest of the castle. The Gryffindors and Slytherins stood in the corridor outside of the Potions classroom and chatted amongst each other.

The dungeon door opened and the professor, a short man with a shiny, bald head, a large belly, and an enormous silvery walrus-like moustache, stood in its wake. He greeted them as they walked past him into the classroom.

The dungeons were semi dark and clouded with vapors. James and Sirius took a table together in the back of the room and waited for the rest of the students to come through the door and take their seats. When everyone had come from the corridor, the professor walked to the front of the classroom, his great belly preceding him, and stood before the class.

"Well, well, well," he chuckled heartily, his belly rising and falling. "My name is Professor Slughorn and I will be your Potions teacher. I do not expect a perfect potion from anybody, as this will be the very first potion you have made. Just do your best and see how close you can get to the real thing. We will begin by making a simple potion to cure boils. You are free to work alone or in pairs."

All of the students paired together. James and Sirius stood behind a shimmering cauldron together. James lit the base while Sirius retrieved the ingredients: dried nettles, snake fangs, horned slugs, and porcupine quills. When he returned, the water was already boiling in the cauldron and James's potions book was already opened. Sirius set the ingredients down on the desk carefully and looked up at the pair in front of them.

"A Gryffindor and a Slytherin working together," Sirius scowled at the back of the boy's greasy hair. James looked, too, and saw the greasy-haired boy, Severus Snape, and Lily Evans working on their potion together. They were already far ahead of the rest of the class.

If James had been thinking rationally, he may have pointed out the fact that Sirius would soon be in Slytherin, but he was still working with him. However, all he could think of was the fact that _she_ was working with _him_. True, he had wanted to work with Sirius, but he now found himself wanting to work with Evans. Why didn't she want to work with him? Did she prefer working with a slimy Slytherin to _him_?

"Ouch!" James cried out. He had cut himself while dicing the horned slugs and put his bleeding finger into his mouth.

"Careful, mate," Sirius chuckled softly, adding the dried nettles to their potion.

Slughorn examined the potions-in-progress, peering into the cauldrons. He had stopped at the table in front of them to praise Evans and Snape, the first whom he could hardly believe to be doing so well as she was a muggleborn.

A great cloud of green smoke and hissing filled the dungeon air. Everyone turned quickly to see what had happened. Lupin had somehow managed to melt his cauldron into a twisted blob and now the potion he and Pettigrew had been working on together oozed across the dungeon floor, burning holes in people's shoes. Within seconds, the entire class was standing on their stools, yelping for Professor Slughorn to do something. With one wave of his wand, he cleared the orange ooze away.

"Oh dear," said Slughorn, tutting as Lupin grew great boils all over his face. The boy moaned in pain. "You'd better go and see Madame Pomfrey. Mr. Potter, would you mind escorting Mr. Lupin to the Hospital Wing?"

"No," James shook his head and they quietly left the classroom.

The halls were deserted as they trekked back up to the upper levels of the castle. The Hospital Wing was on the first floor and was run by the very overprotective matron, Madame Pomfrey. When they knocked on the door of the Infirmary, she quickly pulled Lupin inside and pushed James away.

Before he could say more than "thanks," the door was slammed in James's face. James returned to the dungeons and Sirius and he completed their boil-curing potion and walked up to the Gryffindor Common Room.

"Dragon Breath," James gave the Fat Lady the password. Her portrait swung open and they climbed through the hole in the wall into the Common Room.

"Some day," James commented. The two entered the dormitory.

"Personally, I think they were trying to bury us with homework," Sirius complained loudly, throwing his bag to the floor and falling spread-armed out on his bed, exhausted.

"Yeah," nodded James. "Two rolls of parchment on Emeric the Oddball."

"Emeric the Evil," moaned Sirius.

"Same thing," James rolled his eyes and sat down on Sirius's bad to take off his shoes. Sirius straightened up to watch him, bored.

Banging and loud wailing filled Gryffindor Tower. Without thinking twice, James and Sirius speed off to the Common Room to see what was happening.

The cries and bangs were coming from the portrait of the Fat Lady.

"Let me in, you ol' hag!" a man with a greasy voice yelled at the Lady, who continued to scream and short indignantly while he knocked on her portrait.

"My word! Lady I may be, but you, sir, are no gentleman!" she retorted. James and Sirius looked to one another before pushing the portrait open once more. Mr. Filch, Hogwart's caretaker, hunchbacked and rheumatic, stood outside the entrance to Gryffindor Tower.

"Mr. Black," he smiled at them with his yellow, crooked teeth. "Professor Dumbledore wants you to come with me."

James had nearly forgotten Sirius's parents would be arriving to switch him into Slytherin.

Sirius looked downcast, but followed Mr. Filch without question.

* * *

**A/N- Harry Potter and friends and everything else you recognize do not belonging to me as they are the property and creations of J.K. Rowling. **


	5. Peeves The Poltergeist

**Year One: Chapter Four  
Peeves The Poltergeist**

* * *

James sat alone in the boys' dormitory, waiting for Sirius. He had left for his meeting three hours ago. How long would it take? Would he come back to Gryffindor Tower to retrieve his belongings, or would someone else take them away for him?

He had said his parents would make him switch to Slytherin. Was he right or was he only exaggerating? James had grown up in the wizarding world, though, and knew how certain pureblood families could be.

Someone knocked on the dormitory door. Hopeful, James said, "Come in." To his disappointment, however, it was not Sirius, but Longbottom.

"Oi," he greeted James nonchalantly. James nodded in response. He didn't want to talk to Longbottom; he wanted to talk to Sirius.

"Where's Black?" asked Longbottom.

James shrugged and answered, "Getting moved into Slytherin, I think. His parents came to talk to Dumbledore."

"I heard at breakfast," Longbottom said.

Another knock came from the door.

"Come in," James called. This time, it was Sirius. Pale-faced and trembling, he didn't leave the doorway.

"Sirius, what happened?" James rushed to the doorway; worried that Sirius would fall over onto the floor.

"I…I…."

"What?!"

"I'm in Gryffindor."

This was hardly what he had expected him to say. He managed to choke out "What?" again.

"My mum was there and so was my dad," Sirius began, "and they told Dumbledore how every Black in the family has always been a Slytherin, but he knew that anyway. But then he said that what the Hat said stands and Mum got really mad so he said it was up to me – that it was _my_ decision. And then my parents got even angrier and told me I had better choose Slytherin or else. But - "

"You…chose - "

"Gryffindor," Sirius said, beaming brightly from ear to ear. "I've never seen my parents so angry before! I'll be disowned for sure! They say I'm no son of theirs and they said they don't want me anywhere near Grimmauld Place for Christmas break and I'll have you know I have no arguments with that whatsoever! No Aunt Cassiopeia fawning over Regulus, no Lestranges stinking up the place worse than the roast beast, no Kreacher skulking around me all the time, no parents going on about how much better they are than everyone else – life is good!" And he leapt onto his bed and happily hugged his pillow.

* * *

Three weeks of classes passed by, and so did many more Howlers. Sirius's owl would deliver on every day, though after the seventh one, he didn't pay attention to them anymore and continued to scrape the scrambled eggs off of his plate. Less and less came until no more came at all.

Quidditch tryouts took place during the second week of term. James tried to pass himself off as a second year, but failed dismally and instead watched the tryouts from the benches. A second-year girl named Katie Flynn became the Seeker and a fifth-year named Adam Murphy became a Beater.

The first-years had their first flying lesson on the first Sunday of term with the Slytherins. James and Sirius groaned about this when they found the notice pinned on the bulletin board, but filed out onto the grounds with the rest of the first-year Gryffindors and Slytherins. Twenty broomsticks were lying on the dewy grass. They were the school brooms, and therefore older and unreliable. James had heard the captain of the Gryffindor Quidditch Team, Jerome Terry, complain about how they vibrated when you flew too high and leaned more to the left.

The Gryffindors and Slytherins stayed well away from each other in their own groups. A woman in her fifties stood in front of the rows of broomsticks, her blonde graying hair pulled back into a ponytail. "Well what are you all waiting for? Hurry up and step to the side of your broom," the professor instructed.

"Oi Sirius," James nudged Sirius in the ribs. "Do you know who that is?"

Sirius shook his head and James took out his Chocolate Frog card.

**JOCUNDA SYKES**

_Famous for flying across the Atlantic on a broomstick -- the first person to do so. _

"Whoa," Sirius gaped at the card.

"Boys," Professor Sykes frowned disapprovingly at James and Sirius. James quickly stuffed the card back into his robes.

"Right then. Place your hand over your broomstick and say 'Up!'" Professor Sykes instructed the class.

"UP!" James shouted. The broomstick flew up immediately and he caught it. He was one of the very few students that managed to do the, though. Sirius continued arguing with his broom, only to have it zoom up and strike his a blow on the head before falling on the dewy grass again. James laughed.

"Shut up, James," he smirked as well. A bright red bruise had formed on his forehead.

Once the rest of the class had managed to make their broomsticks rise off of the ground, the professor continued her lesson.

"Now that everyone has their brooms, I want you to mount them," said Professor Sykes. Everyone mounted his or her brooms. "When I count to three, I want you to kick off from the ground. Lightly" she hastily added, "and then lean forward and touch back down, is that understood?" she asked the class. Everyone nodded.

"One," James mounted his broom, "two," Sirius and he exchanged one last look, "three!" She blew her whistle. James kicked off and soared two feet higher than the rest of the class. He looked down and saw Sirius, who was trying to maintain his balance.

He stayed up in the air a few seconds after everyone touched back down before flying back down himself. Everyone, save for Peter Pettigrew, who had leaned back on his broom rather than forward. The students gaped and pointed and whispered to one another as they watched him fly higher and higher, above the school.

"Mr. Pettigrew, you must lean forward on your broomstick!" Sykes yelled up at him, but he couldn't hear her anymore. He was screaming in terror as the broomstick began to vibrate beneath him, as if it were trying to shake him off.

"Mr. Pettigrew! Lean forward!" Sykes yelled up to him as loudly as she was able. He finally did lean forward, but too far. He was flying down quickly, like a meteor coming at Earth. "Mr. Pettigrew! Steer your broom! Lean back!"

Pettigrew soared up again and crashed into the branches of the Whomping Willow.

Professor Sykes eyes grew large in fright as she ran full speed toward the Whomping Willow, everyone in the class following.

Pettigrew shook his head and looked around himself. One of the branches came down and almost slapped him away, but he ducked it in time, only for another to come swinging at him. He grabbed hold of it, causing it to shake violently like some bewitched broomstick.

"_Wingardium Leviosa_!" Sykes pointed her wand at a stick and made it rise off the ground, but no sooner had she done this, Pettigrew was flung from the tree branch and crumpled into a heap of robes on the ground.

Professor Sykes forgot all about the stick had charmed. She approached Pettigrew and looked him over.

Making a "tutting" noise, she said, "Broken arm." The class ended and she took Pettigrew to Madame Pomfrey in the Hospital Wing.

James and Sirius, now that their classes were over, ran up to their dormitory and took out James's game of Wizard's Chess, which they quickly set up and began playing. The game was much like normal chess, the only differences being that the game pieces moved and actually attacked each other.

Longbottom and Lupin came into the dormitory ten minutes into their game, and started immediately to finish their essay about Emeric the Evil. Pettigrew was nowhere to be seen.

"Where's Peter?" James asked as one of Sirius's bishops was dragging one of James's battered pawns across the board. He grimaced.

"Hospital Wing still," answered Longbottom. Lupin became peakier than before after hearing this information.

James nodded and returned his attention to the chessboard. He had never been an extraordinary chess player and needed to concentrate on what he was doing.

"Are you finished with your essay yet?" asked Longbottom.

"We haven't even started," Sirius replied, half-interested, as he took out another of James's pawns.

"Well you had better. They're due on Wednesday," Longbottom rolled up his sheet of parchment, as he was finished. Lupin finished soon after as well.

"We will, we will! Knight to H3!" Sirius said.

Longbottom stood and watched their game, pointing out more moves every now and again to James, to which Sirius complained and Longbottom soon after stopped. Lupin sat on the edge of his bed, wringing his hands nervously together and paying no attention to any of them whatsoever. His eyes darted to the window and then to the floor repeatedly for five minutes before Sirius inquired, "Is there something wrong with you?!"

Lupin paled even more, if that was at all possible. "I-I-I have to l-leave…."

"Leave? We only just got here four days ago," James raised his eyebrows in question.

"Well yes, but…my mum isn't feeling well….I should go see her - "

"What's wrong with her?" asked Sirius.

"She's sick. Very sick! I have to go!" he stood up and left quickly without so much as another word.

* * *

Lupin returned from visiting his sick mother two days later, and by this time the subject had been dropped. Classes continued the same as ever, except for the fact that James and Sirius were asked to visit Professor Rankin's office.

"What do you suppose he wants from us?" James wondered aloud as he and Sirius walked lost in a corridor.

"Dunno," Sirius shrugged. "Where do you suppose his office is?"

James shrugged.

A horrible scraping noise came from a deserted classroom behind them. They froze on the spot immediately and looked at each other forebodingly before looking back down the deserted corridor.

"Come on," James led the way to the classroom, his wand in front of his. "Ready?" he asked Sirius at the doorway. Sirius nodded and they peaked their heads inside.

A tiny, floating man with a wicked smile and dark, menacing eyes was scratching his long fingernails on the blackboard. He wore loud, outlandish clothing, including a bell-covered hat and an orange bow tie.

"Who are you?" Sirius asked, lowering his wand slightly. The man turned his attention away from the blackboard and to the two Gryffindors.

"Oh firsties!" the man cackled. "Peevsie loves firsties!" He looked more devilishly than ever before.

"Uh…could you tell us where Professor Rankin's office is?" James asked.

"Yes, Peeves can help the ickle firsties!" he flew over their heads and out of the room. James and Sirius considered each other before chasing after him. They had to run to keep up with him, but he brought them to a tapestry of two dancing knights. "Just behind here!"

"Thanks, Peeves," James and Sirius watched as he zoomed away, banging and clattering every suit of armor along the way.

"Nice of his to help us," commented Sirius.

"Lets go," James pulled the tapestry away from the wall to reveal a hidden door. He turned the handle and the door swung inward to reveal a spiral staircase and a narrow passageway.

"Whoa," Sirius's eyes lit up. "Do you suppose there are any other passageways in the school?"

"Probably," James grinned wildly at the idea of finding hundreds of hidden passageways throughout the school. "Come on."

James led the way once more through the landing and down the spiral staircase. The walls were lit on either sides with candles and were so close together, they felt as though they would be sandwiched between them.

They reached the bottom of the stairs before they had any trouble. "AH!" James yelped and dropped his wand down the remaining six or so stairs. His leg had fallen through one of the stairs as though it had been made of air, but when he tried to tug it out, he couldn't. "Sirius, I'm stuck!"

Sirius roared with laughter and had to lean against the wall to support himself.

"It isn't funny, Sirius! Help m!"

"Fine, fine," Sirius grabbed James by the elbows and tugged his leg out of the stone step.

"What now?" James looked down at the stair crossly.

"Just skip the stair," Sirius rolled his eyes. James stepped over the trick step and continued down the spiral staircase, picking up his wand at the bottom. They had reached a door and opened it only to find they were behind the same tapestry of knights they had started from.

"What the hell?! How is that even possible?!" James exclaimed, already annoyed about the vanishing step.

"Mr. Potter, Mr. Black, where have you been? I've been waiting for you," Professor Rankin came toward to two.

"We got lost," explained James.

"Then you should have asked for help," replied Rankin.

"We did, we asked Peeves and he didn't help at all!" Sirius defended.

Rankin no longer was frowning at them, but instead grinned sympathetically. "Peeves is a poltergeist and the last person you want to ask for help. You'd have been better to ask one of the teachers of a prefect, they would have been glad to help."

James and Sirius nodded and followed the Professor to his office, which was not far away.

"What did you need to talk to us about, sir?" asked James.

"I wanted to discuss your behavior in class. As grateful as I am for your interest in the class and your desire to participate, I must admit that your interruptions and distractions are affecting the class as a whole," stated Rankin.

"So that means…?" Sirius trailed off.

"Simply, it means that your studies are suffering from your lack of attention."

"So what can we do?" asked James.

"Well," Rankin folded his hands on his desk, "I didn't want to do this, but I'm afraid I have no other option. I've already arranged with Professor McGonagall, and you two are to be in the Gryffindor Common Room at five o'clock every night to be tutored."

"Tutored?!" James chocked on the word. "By who?!"

"I've already arranged that and Mr. Lupin will be helping you with your studies," answered Professor Rankin.

Sirius stared at him as though he'd just received a death sentence.

"Lupin?" repeated Sirius. "The weird kid that's always covered in bandages?!"

Rankin looked disapprovingly at Sirius. "And I want you to listen to him," he continued. "If I don't see any improvement in a week, I will have to notify your parents."

"Yes, sir," James nodded and he and Sirius left Professor Rankin's office without another word.

* * *

**A/N- Harry Potter and friends and everything else you recognize do not belonging to me as they are the property and creations of J.K. Rowling. **


	6. The Tutor

**Year One: Chapter Five  
The Tutor**

* * *

"I don't believe this!" exclaimed Sirius, sitting on the couch in front of the fireplace in the Gryffindor Common Room. The clock face of the grandfather clock in the corner was at five o'clock.

"I know," James sat down beside Sirius and picked a newspaper up from the floor. He opened it and scanned it for any interesting articles.

After five minutes of waiting, Sirius complained, "Where is he?! I don't want to spend all of my time waiting for him!"

"He'll be here, Sirius," James stopped flipping through the pages of the _Daily Prophet_: something had caught his eyes. "Sirius, look at this!"

Sirius looked at the page. "'WOMAN IN ST. MUNGO'S GIVES BIRTH TO THREE-HEADED DAUGHTER?'"

"No! This one," James pointed to the article 'HOGSMEADE HAUNTED.'

"Big deal, so's Hogwarts," stated Sirius.

"I know!" defended James. "Listen,

**HOGSMEADE HAUNTED**

_Hogsmeade villagers reported hearing hauntings in their village last Sunday._

_"They kept me up all night! Screaming and howling all the time!" says Goodwin Peterson, a villager. "They were coming from that shack on the hill!" Peterson pointed to a rickety old shack, which has been abandoned and uninhabited for years. _

_"Ministry officials are looking into this disturbance," says Evan Basil of the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures. "We will know more later. In the meantime, the house has remained quiet and still. This is hopefully a sign that the ghosts have left it." _

"What's so odd about that?" asked Sirius.

"That shack was there before and uninhabited. Why would a ghost take up residence there? Now?" asked James.

"I dunno. I'm not a ghost," stated Sirius matter-of-factly.

"I'm sorry I'm late," Lupin ran out of the hole in the wall, very short of breath and carrying six large, heavy books. He walked to where they sat and set the books down on the floor.

"We're not gonna use all of those, are we?!" Sirius stared at the large stack of books, wide-eyed.

"Oh no," Lupin shook his head. "They're mine."

"Blimey! You're gonna read all of those?!" asked James, dumbstruck.

"Hopefully, at one point of time or another," he took the book from the top of the pile and opened it to the first chapter. "'Grindylows,' you had better take notes," he suggested, looking up from the book. "'A grindylow is a pale green creature that lives in the weed beds on the bottom of lakes. Grindylows have long, brittle fingers which they use to grip their prey, sharp little horns, and green teeth. Mermaids have also been known to domesticate them, and feed them - '"

James simply lost interest in what Lupin was saying. When would he ever need to know what a grindylow looked like and ate – unless it ate humans of course. Other than, he couldn't see any real reason he needed to be there. He could be doing so many other things than listen to Lupin ramble on about a grindylow's long fingers or whatever it was he was talking about.

"James," Lupin stopped reading and brought James back from his thoughts.

"Huh?" James blinked.

"Did you hear anything I said?" he asked, cocking his head slightly to the right.

"Of course I did!" James defended.

"So tell me how you are to defend yourself from one," Lupin crossed his arms over his chest.

"You…uh, pick them up…."

"And…?" he raised an eyebrow.

"And…uh…."

"You clearly weren't listening," Lupin sighed. He shut the heavy book with a bang and set it atop the tall pile of books to leave. "I don't know why I bothered. This is a total waste of time. I should have just listened to Lily - "

Lily! Lily Evans! The pretty girl from on the train! James instantly focused his attention on Lupin at the mention of her name. "Evans, you mean?"

"…yes…." Lupin answered confused.

Lupin was on first-name terms with her. Maybe…just maybe…if he went through this, she would talk to him…maybe….

"Well you can tell her I'm not a waste of time," James spoke confidently. "Teach, Professor Lupin!"

Lupin tried to hide the smile beginning at his mouth, but failed dismally. "I…alright, I guess…. If you're willing to work."

"I'm willing," James grinned, doing his best to ignore the odd looks Sirius was giving him.

"Fine," Lupin opened the book and began to read to them. Sirius took fair notes while James was careful to take as many as he possibly could, much to Lupin's pleasure. Their lesson ended exactly an hour later, where after the three ran up to their dorm to play Exploding Snap.

James was woken rather rudely the following morning. He could hear someone distantly calling his name before being his in the face with a pillow.

James shot up out of his bed like a gunshot and though he could hardly see anything around him clearly, he could tell a raven-haired boy was standing over his bed, smirking down with his aristocratic Black smile.

"Sirius, you berk," James pushed him way and took his glasses off of his bedside cabinet.

Even when he could see clearly, Sirius was still smirking. "What is it?" snapped James. Sirius shrugged.

"It's Sunday, Sirius, why did you need to wake me up so early?!"

Sirius's smirk grew wider as he stood there in his uniform. "No, it's not. It's Monday. We have to be at Professor Flitwick's in ten minutes."

James leapt out of his bed, instantly sprung to life, and grabbed his uniform robes off the top of his trunk. "Why didn't you - " he stuck a leg through his pants " – tell me earlier?!"

"You looked so peaceful sleeping there like that," said Sirius, still smirking as he watched James scramble to put his robes on straight. "I didn't have the heart to wake you, Sleeping Beauty."

James glared at him and shook his head. "Lets go." They ran down the spiral staircase and out of Gryffindor Tower They ducked as Peeves pelted them with tiny pieces of chalk and continued down to the changing staircases to the third floor.

The two stumbled through the Charms classroom door, apologizing to Professor Flitwick for interrupting his less. Flitwick probably wouldn't take too many points from Gryffindor, but they still didn't need to lose any.

"Mr. Black, Mr. Potter, please take you seats," squeaked Flitwick. They hardly took their seats and the bell rang for their next class, Transfiguration.

"Oh dear," sighed Flitwick, "we'll pick up on this tomorrow."

"We missed the lesson completely," huffed Sirius in the corridor.

"I know," replied James.

"I can help you if you want," a small voice interjected behind them. They both looked over their shoulders and saw tiny Lupin behind them. "With the Charms lesson I mean."

"Sure," nodded Sirius. "That sounds alright." The three met again that evening, first for a Defense Against the Dark Arts lesson and then a Charms lesson.

"Alright, _Wingardium Leviosa_ is the spell of levitation and one of the most useful you'll learn here," began Lupin, pulling out his wand and pointing it at his Defense book. "Wingardium leviosa." The book rose in the air and he directed it to sit on top of the stack of books again. "Now you try. Apply the swish and flick we learned earlier and you should have no problem," he instructed, picking the book off of the pile again and dropping it to the floor. "And pronunciation is very important," he added quickly. "It's wingardium leviosa, not wingardium leviosah."

James nodded and pointed his wand determinably at the book. Swish and flick! "Wingardium leviosa!" The book rose once more. James was so surprised, however, that he lost his concentration and the book fell again.

"That's no problem, it was good. It was your first try anyway. Have at it again, but this time concentrate on what you're doing more," suggested Lupin.

James nodded and pointed his wand at the book again. "Wingardium leviosa!" The book rose once more, but this time, James concentrated more on keeping it up in the air while he directed it to sit on top of the pile of books. It fell down on them and didn't more any more.

"Yes, that's it! Marvelous! Sirius, you have at it now. Wingardium leviosa," the book rose from the pile and Lupin brought it back to its place on the floor. He stepped aside and Sirius walked forward.

"Wingardium leviosa!" Sirius easily lifted the book and set it down again on the stack.

"Wonderful, Sirius! Great, really great, both of you!" encouraged Lupin.

"Yeah it was!" James grinned along with him.

"You're gonna be a teacher someday, you know that?" stated Sirius.

Lupin beamed with pride.

**_

* * *

_**

Shortly after, they became friends with Remus Lupin and the three spent all of their free time together. James and Sirius's scores in Defense Against the Dark Arts rose substantially, and they no longer needed to be tutored. They still met every evening, however, whereupon they would learn new spells and charms they had not been taught in their lessons yet.

Remus had to leave again to visit his ill mother. James and Sirius were concerned, but let him leave without question.

The first Quidditch match of the year was played while Remus was away. The entire school went out to the Quidditch Pitch. The field was surrounded on all sides with tall walls and stands for spectators. The different walls and stands were all draped with a separate house colour and symbol.

James and Sirius stood together with the rest if the Gryffindors. Everyone stood shoulder- to-shoulder as they were anxious for the game to begin.

The rest of the students stood with their own houses and the professors in the staff box.

The match was between Gryffindor and Slytherin, the Gryffindors, Hufflepuffs, and Ravenclaws wearing bright read and gold colours. The Slytherins, all sitting together, wore green and silver robes and waved Slytherin flags and banners.

"Hello and welcome to the first Quidditch match of the season. It's Gryffindor versus Slytherin!" Tilden Toots, a second-year Gryffindors, announced overtop the cheering crowds. "And with the start of a new Quidditch season, lets introduce the players!"

The door on the far side of the pitch swung open and the fourteen players flew out. The crowds cheered louder than ever as they flew circles around the field.

"For Gryffindor, there's Terry as Team Captain and Keeper! Wassner, Dearborn, and Newman as the three Gryffindor Chasers, Murphy and Thierheimer are the Gryffindor Beaters, and introducing the lovely Miss Flynn as Gryffindor Seeker!"

The blonde girl blushed from high on her broomstick.

"Mr. Toots!" they heard Professor McGonagall over the loud speaker.

"Of course, Professor. And for Slytherin, there's Swithen as Keeper and Team Captain. Wickham, Aston, and Ockley as the three Slytherin Chasers, Foss and Everard as the two Slytherin Beaters, and Nab as the Slytherin Seeker," Tilden Toots didn't sound as excited about the Slytherin team as he had been about the Gryffindor team, but that didn't stop the Slytherin's from cheering loudly for their team.

The fourteen players flew down and stopped hovering closer to the ground. Professor Sykes spoke to them before throwing up a red ball, the Quaffle. The fourteen brooms flew up again and they were off.

"And the Quaffle is taken immediately by Acamar Wickham for Slytherin, passes to Cassiopeia Ockley, to Lucida Aston and back to Wickham! Wickham's flying like an eagle, he might score – saved by Gryffindor Keeper Jerome Terry! Gryffindor is now in possession of the Quaffle! Cassidy Dearborn has the Quaffle now and is moving fast across the field – OUCH! Hit in the back of the head with a Bludger sent by Slytherin Beater Castor Foss, that must of hurt! Aston has the Quaffle now and is heading back toward the Gryffindor goal posts! Oh! But Adam Murphy has sent a Bludger at her – he misses, but she fumbles the ball and drops it! Nice catch by Michael Wassner and back to the Slytherin goal posts! He passes to Linda Newman, she passes back, Wassner passes to Newman again, she takes the shot – IT'S IN! GRYFFINDOR SCORES!"

Loud cheers erupted from the Gryffindors while the Slytherins moaned and howled. Katie Flynn squinted around for a glimmer of the Snitch, but none was found.

"Slytherin back in possession. Ockley races down the court – just narrowly misses a Bludger from Monty Thierheimer, takes her shot at the Terry – oh, and he misses! Score is ten-to-ten!"

The Slytherins roared with excitement. Katie Flynn froze. Near the Hufflepuff stands was the Snitch, glittering off of the sun's bright rays. Leaning forward on her broomstick, she zoomed toward it.

"It looks like Katie Flynn's seen something!" Tilden Toots shouted, unconsciously tipping Slytherin Seeker Izan Nab to follow her. She shot down and flew just above the Hufflepuffs' heads, almost crashing into a tall prefect before swerving out of the way. The Snitch was right in front of her, all she would have to do was reach out and grab it! But when she was just about to grab it, she slipped off of her broomstick and fell into the Hufflepuffs. A great hush fell over the stands as everyone waited in avid anticipation.

Flynn's hand shot up trapping the struggling Golden Snitch. The Gryffindors cheered loudly.

* * *

**A/N- Harry Potter and friends and everything else you recognize do not belonging to me as they are the property and creations of J.K. Rowling. **


	7. Forbidden Treasure

**Year One: Chapter Six  
Forbidden Treasure**

* * *

"Can anyone tell us what this remarkable plant is?" asked the plump Professor Sprout. The first-years were crowded around the worktable in the greenhouse, and each had his or her own plant. It was very similar to a flytrap, save that they were spiky, dark red, and had vines that reached out toward the students. 

Lily Evans's hand was the first to shoot up wit an answer. And to James's astonishment, Peter Pettigrew soon did the same.

"Miss Evans," the professor stood on the balls of her feet and pointed to her. Pettigrew looked disappointed to not answer.

"It is of the rare species _Venomous Tentacula_. Very few are still bred by individual wizards because of Ministry enforcement laws and their bites may leave serious damage."

"Bravo, Miss Evans! Ten points to Gryffindor!" Sprout applauded the girl and her belled hat jingled. "Now because you are all still first-year students, we will begin by simply feeding them, so if everyone would please grab the can of fertilizer next to you, we will begin." Everyone picked one up. "Now seeing as these seedlings are still infants," James stifled a chortle at the memory of one trying to bite his hand off earlier in the lesson, "they will need only one fourth of this container.

James carefully poured the fertilizer into the pot. He finished and looked up. Sirius was working in front of him. He was smirking as he lowered the can of fertilizer and then pulled it back up again out of the plant's reach. It would stretch as high as it could go to reach the fertilizer, but was always short.

"Mr. Black! No teasing the plants! Five points from Gryffindor!" Professor Sprout frowned and left to help Steven Stebbins whose plant had eaten his textbook. Sirius rolled his eyes and began to tease the plant again.

"Sirius," Pettigrew whispered out of the corner of his mouth, "stop provoking it. It doesn't like it."

"I'd be worrying about my own plant there, you know," Sirius sneered. Pettigrew looked down at his plant and shrieked when he saw that he had been drowning his plant with the fertilizer while disciplining Sirius and began the fruitless attempt of cupping the extra fertilizer back into the can. Remus turned to Sirius.

"Sirius, I don't think that's such a good - "

"OUCH!" Sirius screamed at the top of his lungs, directing the class' full attention to him. The plant he caught his hand and was chewing on it. Sirius tried to pull his hand out of its mouth, but instead lifted it off of the table. The class laughed when he began to frantically try to shake it off, but the plant would not let go. Professor Sprout quickly came to Sirius's side to help get the plant off, but he finally succeeded in swinging it off and sent it crashing into the greenhouse wall. The pot smashed and the plant slowly slid down the glass.

"Mr. Black, stay here. The rest of you may go to your next lesson," Sprout was positively seething when she dismissed the class, something no one had ever seen her do before. James packed his bag and, giving Sirius the thumbs-up, left for Potions with Remus.

The dungeons were filled with a red, dreamy vapor coming from a tiny cauldron sitting on Slughorn's desk. Slughorn was nowhere to be seen, so James and Remus sat in a desk together in the back. Most of the class was already there. James spotted with a pang of jealousy Lily with Snape.

Sirius came into the class just before it began, his hand bandaged like Remus's, and complained about how Professor Sprout had given him another assignment. "And she says if I can't do this one right, I can't get a passing mark! Do you believe it?!"

"Good afternoon everyone," Professor Slughorn greeted them as he came through the dungeon doors. He stopped at the front of the room and spoke again, "Can anyone tell me what this potion is?"

Everyone stared at the tiny cauldron on his desk. Evans looked at Snape and shrugged, so he raised his hand.

"Severus?" Slughorn nodded to the greasy-haired boy.

"I believe it is a Forgetfulness Potion," answered Snape.

Slughorn chuckled merrily, his large belly shaking. "Yes, sir! Take five points for Slytherin! Now we will be making this potion today. I have written the directions on the board and all of the ingredients you will need can be found in the supply closet. This is a particularly simple potion to make, so there shouldn't be too many problems. You will have thirty minutes. You may begin."

"I'll start the fire while you get the ingredients," James said to Remus, who looked as though he was going to object to this, but never did. He silently stood up and followed the rest of the class into the storage closet.

"So what's she making you do?" James asked Sirius. He, too, stayed away from the stampede to the storage closet and sent Pettigrew instead.

"Huh?" he turned around to face James.

"Sprout?"

"Oh," realization dawned on Sirius's face. "I'm supposed to meet her tomorrow morning and she's giving me a honking daffodil to look after for a week. If it isn't in a good way when I give it back to her, I'll fail the lesson on the VenomousTentacula and be given a week's detention repotting mandrakes." He pulled a face.

"At least you don't have detention tonight. It's the Halloween Feast, remember?" James tried to look at the positive. Sirius rolled his eyes. "So do you have any idea of how to take care of your daffodil?" James continued.

"None at all," Sirius shook his head and turned around again. Remus came back from the storage closet and set all of the ingredients down on their worktable.

"Did you start the fire?" he asked.

"I was getting to it," James stated. He started the fire and read the first directions on the board which told him to heat half a cauldron full of water for five minutes. "I'll get the water if you prepare the ingredients."

"Fine," Remus nodded and began separated the good scurvy-grass from the bad.

James collected the water he needed and poured it into the cauldron slowly so it wouldn't splash up and burn his face. And while he waited for the water to heat to the appropriate temperature, he helped Remus prepare all of the necessary ingredients. They followed all of the directions to the punctuations and yet the end potion was lumpy and brown instead of very runny and red. Remus sighed, downtrodden.

"Well at least something good has come out of this," James smirked knowingly.

Remus looked up curiously. "What?"

"We didn't melt the cauldron," he commented.

Remus rolled his eyes.

"I have a question though," he continued.

"What?" Remus asked with an arched brow.

"Was it you who melted the cauldron or Pettigrew?"

Remus chortled. "It was me."

James smirked again as he took a vial sample of their potion for Professor Slughorn. "I thought so. Say, you don't mind cleaning the table, do you?"

"No," he shook his head. James tagged the vial with their names, walked up to Slughorn's desk, and set it alongside the other students' vials. He returned to their workstation to help clean, but instead saw Remus staring curiously down at the table.

"What is it?" he asked.

"Come here, look at this," Remus said. James came around the table and looked. Wherever the potion had splashed onto the table, the table had gone clear and see-through. Remus put his hand under the table and saw it when it was beneath one of the spills. He pulled it out again and looked up at James.

"It's see-through…." James marveled.

"The table's forgotten what colour it should be," said Remus.

"Don't throw out that potion," James commented and Remus nodded. They filled a small beaker with the potion, corked it, put it in their bag, and dumped away the rest of the potion.

When the lesson was over, they left the Potions classroom and went into the dimly lit dungeon corridor. All of the classes were over for the day and the school would be celebrating the Halloween Feast together in the Great Hall shortly. There would be all sorts of candies and cakes and sweets there and no eleven-year-old boy would want to miss out on that sort of thing.

"Where do you think all of the food comes from anyway?" Remus asked.

James shrugged. "It's magic, isn't it? It can just appear."

Remus shook his head. "But that doesn't make any sense. Food is one of five things that cannot be created using magic according to Gamp's Law of Elemental Transfiguration," he continued pondering aloud. James and Sirius shrugged.

"As long as it's there, I don't care," a squeaky voice said his opinion behind them. The three stopped and turned around to see Peter Pettigrew.

Sirius's eyebrows knit. "What are you doing?"

"W-well since w-we worked together in p-potions, I th-thought that maybe we could go to the f-feast together," Pettigrew stammered squeakier than before under the cold, gray Black glare.

"Don't worry about it, Peter," Remus intervened, his softer blue eyes smiling at Pettigrew. "You can come with us."

Sirius looked very upset, but before he could interject an argument, however, they were interrupted once again.

"You four, come over here," a mature boy's voice spoke from a dark corner.

"Who is it?" James was the first to speak to the shadow in the corner.

With a smirk, a blond sixth-year Slytherin stepped into the lighted parts of the corridor. A torch on the wall caught the gleam of his silver and green prefect badge and Pettigrew shivered.

Sirius glared at the older Slytherin in purest loathing. "What are you doing here, _Malfoy_?" he spoke the last name, which James knew was a rich, pureblood name, as a taunt. Malfoy smirked wider and rose to the bait.

"What am _I _doing here? What are _you _doing here? I thought you first-years were afraid of the dungeons."

Another Slytherin emerged from her hidden place in the corner. Sirius glared at the fifth-year with the same coldness that had greeted Malfoy.

"Shove off, Lucius, and just tell them," she ordered, flipping her elegant platinum blond hair out of her face as she spoke.

James perked up. "Tell us what?"

"About the treasure," Malfoy remarked.

"What treasure?" Sirius asked.

"Wait, you didn't know?"

"What is the treasure?"

Malfoy smirked.

"It's the treasure of the Forbidden Forest," the girl answered with a wry smile.

"I've never heard of such a thing," Remus shook his head.

"It's not something a lot of people would want you to know about," Malfoy frowned. "When Hogwarts was first built, one of its first headmasters, Geoffrey Ophiuchus, was mad you know. When a student had a detention, he would hang them up in the dungeons until he thought they had suffered enough." Pettigrew gulped as Malfoy's face grew darker. "One Halloween, a couple of te students broke out of the detention and tried to run away, but he caught them before they could. And do you know what he did to them?" Pettigrew shook his head. "He took them all into the Forbidden Forest and killed them."

Pettigrew squeaked.

"That's not true," Remus shook his head.

"Isn't it?" Malfoy smirked. "The other teachers weren't very happy with him about the murder of the students and banded together to capture him. He fled from all of them, too, leaving all of his possessions and riches at Hogwarts and on the grounds."

"Possessions and riches?" Sirius became very still and aware.

Malfoy nodded. "Rumor has it before he left Hogwarts forever, he buried a chest of some of his riches. Galleons, sickles, knuts…it's a shame it's been lost all of these years," he ended his tale on a melancholy note.

"Do you think we could find the treasure?" Sirius asked James.

"No! Don't you remember what Dumbledore said?! We can't go into the forst, it's forbidden! There are all sorts of - " Remus began, but was interrupted.

"We probably could, he couldn't have buried it too far in," James answered Sirius's earlier question.

"Or too deep!" Sirius continued.

"But students aren't allowed! What if Dumbledore found out?" Remus tried to be the voice of reason again, but was ignored by everyone except Malfoy.

"Oh…that may be a problem. I guess your little playmate will just have to stay behind," Malfoy pulled Remus toward himself and gave him a noogie. "No need to worry, though, we'll take really good care of him."

"No," Sirius grabbed Remus's arm and pulled him away. "He's coming with us. Come on." The four left Malfoy and left the dungeons for the Entrance Hall. Sirisu marched quickly ahead of them and pushed open the grand oak doors. The four slipped outside quickly.

"Sirius, what are you doing?"

"James!" Sirius turned around with a mad grin on his face. "This it the treasure of a lifetime!"

Remus stepped forward. "You must be joking! We can't go into the forest! Don't you rememner anything Dumbledore or the other teachers said?! There are all sorts of monsters and beasts in there!"

"Alright then. _I'll_ just take _your _part of the treasure!" replied Sirius.

Remus shrugged. "I don't care, I just don't want my eyeballs pecked out or whatnot."

"Fine, you don't get to go."

"Y-you know, he may have a point," squeaked Pettigrew.

"All aboard the Yellow Belly Express!" called Sirius. "Will we be taking any others?"

"I'll come, Sirius," James stepped forward, grinning.

"Come on then," Sirius started walking toward the forest and James followed. Remus and Pettigrew hesitated at the castle entrance, but followed them.

The four silently trampled across the grounds and into the forest. The sun was sinking in the sky and it would soon be difficult to see much of anything in the thickening trees.

"_Lumos_," Remus spoke the incantation under his breath and the tip of his wand shone a bright, brilliant light around them.

"Whoa," Pettigrew awed.

"Where'd you learn that?" asked James.

"Standard Book of Spells, Chapter Nine," Remus recited, taking the lead into the forest.

"Show off," Sirius smirked.

"Well you could read ahead, too," he replied indignantly.

"A-are you three s-sure of this? I-I mean I've heard there were…w-werewolves in this forest," Pettigrew whimpered.

"There aren't," Remus stated rather coldly.

"How would you know?" asked Sirius.

"Because it isn't a full moon," Remus pointed through the tree canopy to the sky.

"It was a full moon a few nights ago, and I heard howling coming from this forest," James argued.

Remus stopped dead, then spun around so quickly and pointed his wand at them, none of them had time to think or stop him. "It was at night. You were probably dreaming…hallucinating! Werewolves aren't allowed anywhere near Hogwarts. There was never a werewolf at Hogwarts and there never will be."

"Alright! Alright!" James put his arms up in defense. He didn't know how many other curses and spells Remus knew that they did not and did not want to test him. He had seen something almost evil in his eyes. They had flashed a golden amber before becoming their normal light blue again and that frightened him. "I'm sorry. I didn't know you took it so seriously."

Remus regarded them for a few moments before turning around and leading the way through the forest again. The three looked at each other apprehensively before following him once more.

The four did not speak to each other for a while as they trekked farther into the forest. It had been nearly an hour since they had left the school.

"Could we…" Pettigrew panted, "please stop?" He sat down on a thich tree root and pulled an inhaler ou tof his robe pockets.

"You have asthma?" Remus asked, eyebrows raised.

"It's fine…fine," he continued panting.

"We're not going to get much of anywhere sitting around! Come on! We've hardly searched half of this forest!" exclaimed Sirius. Pettigrew moaned and they all looked at him again.

"He's tired," Remus sat down next to Pettigrew. "Can't you see that?"

"Sirius," James stepped forward, "I'm starting to think there never was any treasure."

"Are you giving up, too?" Sirius asked James.

"Sirius, for crying out loud!" exclaimed James. "_Lucius Malfoy_?! Doesn't that name mean anything to you?!"

"He lied to us, Sirius," Remus continued.

"I don't need to hear it from you, too, Lupin," growled Sirius, glaring at the three. In the silence that followed, they heard ruffled leaves and snapping twigs in the close distance. Remus and Pettigrew stood up and all four looked slowly in the direction of the sound. A large, black animal with four legs and a tail stood there staring at them out of its golden eyes.

"What do you suppose it is?" whispered James.

"I don't know!" Pettigrew whimpered, hiding behind Remus.

"Shine your wand out further, Remus," suggested Sirius.

"You don't think whatever it is saw us already?" asked Remus. The black shape started to run toward them. Pettigrew screamed and James and Sirius stood behind Remus as well.

"It's a werewolf!" James screamed.

"It's not!" Remus yelled back.

Remus had been right. For a moment they saw it, a large, black boarhound, before it leapt at Remus. The small boy was knocked backwards off of his feet and fell onto the forest ground. The large dog sniffed him and began licking his face with its long, wet tongue. Remus sputtered and spat while the other three laughed.

"See now, what's go'in' on?" the huge man who had led them to Hogwarts from the train stood above them once more with a crossbow.

"We got lost," answered James.

"In the fores'?" the giant asked, eyebrow raised skeptically.

"We had to find a grindylow. We have to write an essay about them in Defense Against the Dark Arts," lied Sirius. The giant wasn't fooled.

"Alrigh', Fang, thet's enough," the dog backed off of Remus and returned to the giant's moleskin coat. Remus sat back up spitting and wiping his face clean of dog drool. "I was sent ter look for ya. Name's Rubeus Hagrid," he held his hand down for them to shake. James, Sirius, and Pettigrew each grabbed one of his large fingers and shook it, memorized by his size. Hagrid then picked Remus up from the ground with one hand. The boy yelped until he was set down on his feet once more. "Gamekeeper a' Hogwarts. No I don't think I've met ya." He held his hand down to Remus, who shook one of his large fingers as well.

"Sirius Black."

"James Potter."

"Peter P-Pettigrew, sir," he stammered.

"Oh please, call me Hagrid. And what 'bout you?" Hagrid pointed at Remus.

"Remus Lupin."

Hagrid's tiny eyes grew wider at the boy's name, but returned to normal quickly. He nodded, "Right, well…I best be getting' ya back ter yar school then." He motined for them to come and they all followed him.

"Why do you have a crossbow, Hagrid?" asked Sirius.

"Uh…well you know…go'in' inter the fores'…got ter be well protected," Hagrid muttered.

"Why's it covered in blood?"

"Uh…."

"Have you been hunting, Hagrid?"

"That's nothing of your bus'ness."

"Was it something dangerous?" Sirius continued. "Was it a werewolf?"

"Now look 'ere, Sirius, you don't need ter be askin' questions ya don't need ter know!"

Sirius was quiet for a moment before asking, "Are there werewolves in this forest?"

**_

* * *

_**

The four stood in front of Professor McGonagall's desk in her office. It was a warm, comforting room with scarlet and gold banners hanging from the ceiling, a cracking fireplace, bookshelves lined with book about Transfiguration, and a window that overlooked the Quidditch Pitch. She frowned disapprovingly at them.

"I can hardly believe your stupidity. What if something terrible had happened? It's a relief Mr. Malfoy and Miss Black informed me of where you were," said McGonagall.

"What?!" Sirius stared at her as if she were a two-ended newt. "We would have never gone in if they hadn't lied to us!"

"Even if that was true, Mr. Black, why on earth would you believe such poppycock?"

"We…" for once, Sirius couldn't answer.

"Twenty-five points from Gryffindor," she said. Their mouths dropped. "Each."

"Wait…we're…we're not being expelled?" Remus asked in disbelief.

McGonagall continued to frown. "Not today, Mr. Lupin. But I strongly suggest you begin to think before you act. Now not another word, I want you four to return to your dormitory immediately, no dawdling."

"Yes, ma'am," they murmured and slowly turned around to leave her office.

"Mr. Black," the four turned around to face her again, "when you were sorted into Gryffindor, I had hoped you may escape your last name, but I must think differently now. Goodnight." The four left her office in silent disbelief, but none was as taken aback as Sirius.

* * *

**A/N- Harry Potter and friends and everything else you recognize do not belonging to me as they are the property and creations of J.K. Rowling. **


	8. The Honking Daffodil

**Year One: Chapter Seven  
The Honking Daffodil**

* * *

The school grounds grew colder as the leaves continued to fall from the trees. The skies were no longer their bright blue, but a dreary gray with dark clouds. Students studied together by the Great Lake in hopes of catching a glimpse of the Giant Squid or a merperson while bundled in scarves and coats.

Life inside of the castle had changed as well. Because of the colder weather outside, the professors figured that they would be spending more of their time indoors and so they received more work. Professor Rankin had just assigned them an essay about double-ended newts. James planned to hold off from doing it until later, though.

Professor Sprout had given Sirius the plant that he was supposed to take care of for a week. It was a honking daffodil, which was very similar to any regular daffodil, except that when it needed something, it would emit an earsplitting honk to make its needs known. "Where should I put it?" Sirius asked James on his first day with the plant.

"Dunno. On your bedside table or the windowsill," suggested James.

"I'm not putting this stupid thing on my bedside table!" Sirius shook his head. The daffodil gave a loud honk in objection to being called stupid.

"Shut up, you!"

HONK!

"Fine," James interject, "then put in on the windowsill."

"No way. That's too close to my bed," Sirius ignored James's suggestions and instead set it on the floor. He stared at it in a confused stupor of what to do next. He had planned to ask Remus for help to take care of the plant, but he had had to leave to take care of his sick mother once again. Sirius's head fell into his hands.

"I'm doomed, aren't I?" he moaned. James couldn't do much more than sigh and nod.

The plant gave another loud honk like a blow horn, making both of them jump and look at it. It lifted its flower head, almost as if to look at them, and then honked again.

"What did I say to it now?" Sirius said exasperatedly, throwing his arms into the air. James shrugged and muttered, "Nothing."

"I can't do this," Sirius picked the plant up from the floor and looked around desperately for a place to hide it.

"Maybe if you just give it some water," James suggested, shrugging again.

Sirius looked down at the plant. "Water…uh…right." He took it into their bathroom, filled a cup with water, and poured it into the pot. Content, the plant curled up into itself and fell asleep, its tiny stem rising and falling. Sirius sighed a breath of relief and set the plant on the windowsill.

"There. No problem," said James.

Sirius nodded. "No, not too bad. So it likes water."

James nodded. "Lets go out on the grounds and watch the Quidditch team practice."

Sirius seemed to cheer up instantly at the suggestion. "Yeah. That sounds great." He opened his trunk to grab a warm sweater and scarf. He quickly put them on and raced past James to the door.

"Wait!" James called him back.

Puzzled, Sirius came back and stood in the doorway. "What?"

"Shouldn't you take that honking daffodil with you? We don't know how long their practice will be and it may need something," said James. "And you know how Sprout would hate it if you gave her back a dead plant," he added with a small smirk.

Sirius continued to stare at him with the same dumbfounded look. "Are you _mental_? I'm not letting anyone else see me with that…thing."

"What if it needs something, though," James continued to egg him on. "Your markings are depending on this-"

"Ugh! I know!" Sirius sat back down on the nearest bed and buried his head in his hands for a minute.

He looked up in surprise and turned to James. "Wait! It likes water, doesn't it?" James slowly nodded. "Well, I'll just give it extra water before we leave. That way, it'll be fine for a while." He stood up from the bed, went to the bathroom to fill the cup, and returned to the dormitory. He poured the contents of the cup into the pot, causing the plant to wake from its slumber and watch as he set down the cup and left the room with James.

The following days passed by quite uneventfully. Between their classes, Sirius took care of the honking daffodil, but he always did something wrong or made some sort of mistake. When James and he returned from watching the Gryffindor Quidditch team practice for their upcoming match against Ravenclaw, they found the plant nearly drowned because of all of the water Sirius gave to it before they left. The daffodil honked so loudly that they had to cover their ears with their hands. James poured the excess water out of the pot into their bathroom sink and the plant stopped its honking. Sirius never gave it that much water again. He always under-watered or under-fertilized it (or completely forgot to take care of it whatsoever), so it really was an astounding thing that, at the end of the week, the plant was still alive.

The plant probably wouldn't have been alive at all if it hadn't been for their roommate, Peter Pettigrew. He was short and round and cared deeply for his pet rat, Wormtail. He was very clumsy and inept at almost everything he tried to do, but he knew plants and how to look after them and, whether Sirius was aware of it or not, it had been Pettigrew who had taken care of the honking daffodil after Sirius made a mistake or forgot about it.

Remus returned from visiting his sick mother the day that Sirius would be returning the plant to Professor Sprout. While Sirius was away, he was helping James and Pettigrew write their essays about double-ended newts for Defense Against the Dark Arts. He had already finished his own paper before helping his mother and was letting James and Pettigrew copy his notes and parts of his essay, for which the two were very grateful. James and Pettigrew finished their essays in no time since they wrote most of it from his notes.

"Thanks, Remus," said Pettigrew as he stuffed the essay into his bag. James had already finished writing his five minutes before and was reading through _The Daily Prophet_.

"You're welcome," Remus yawned and put his notes away. He looked as though someone could blow him over with a single breath. His face was an ashen shade and he had large, black bags beneath his eyes, giving him the look of someone who hadn't slept in a week. His hands were wrapped in dressings as per usual, but his left arm was also in a sling. They had asked him what had happened, but he didn't answer them and ignored the question altogether.

"Sirius has been gone for a while," Remus commented. "He said thirty minutes at the most." Pettigrew shrugged. James flipped to the next page in _The Daily Prophet _and stopped when he saw the article.

"Oy," James caught their attention and they looked to him. "Did anyone else hear about that Shrieking Shack in Hogsmeade?"

Pettigrew and Remus shook their heads.

"Oh…well…there was an article about it last month, too…apparently they believe the place is haunted," James explained. Pettigrew's eyes grew to the size of gold galleons as he squeaked, "Ghosts!" Remus grew paler, too, if at all possible.

"Yeah," James cleared his throat and read aloud:

**HOGSMEADE RESIDENTS BELIEVE THE SHRIEKING SHACK IS _HAUNTED_**

_The abandoned shack has stood in the village of Hogsmeade for many years, but until recently, had caught no interest whatsoever. Villagers now, however, have reported two instances of strange behavior happening from the house. They are now calling it, very appropriately, the_ Shrieking Shack.

_The Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures investigated the site almost a month ago when the last incidence of disturbance occurred. Nothing was found and it was widely believed that the ghosts had left. The villagers ignored the shack again until yesterday evening, when the most recent disturbance had occurred._

_Some of Hogsmeade's residents greatly feared for their lives. A hysterical Goodwin Peterson, one of the Hogsmeade villagers, had to be taken to St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries. The Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures will continue to study into the Shrieking Shack scare. Local Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry's Headmaster, Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore, agrees with these beliefs and presumes that the spirit of Victor the Vicious and many others from his gang have taken inhabitance of the rundown house. The Ministry of Magic supports these beliefs and, until all matters are settled, urges Hogsmeade residents to travel with others and stay inside at night. _

James set _The Daily Prophet_ down and looked at the two. Pettigrew continued to stare at him with fearful eyes while Remus focused his eyes on the newspaper and the moving illustration of the Shrieking Shack.

"Are the ghosts dangerous?" squeaked Pettigrew.

"Dunno," James shrugged.

"It sounds like they are," murmured Remus.

The door to the dormitory opened and Sirius walked inside, instantly hushing their conversation. They noticed that he was still holding the honking daffodil.

"Uh…Sirius? Aren't you supposed to be returning that?" asked James. Sirius gave him a dry smirk before crossing the room to Pettigrew, who shook like a timid leaf in a windstorm when he saw Sirius approaching him.

"Um…." He trailed off at a complete loss of words.

"I spoke with Professor Sprout," Sirius began, "and with my devilishly good looks and boyish charms, I convinced her to let you keep the flower." He handed Pettigrew the honking daffodil. Pettigrew accepted it with dumb, stunned hands.

"You're…you're giving me the honking daffodil?"

"Sure! I know that if it weren't for you taking care of that thing whenever I didn't, it would be dead right now and I'd be in an even bigger heap of trouble," explained Sirius.

"Th-thank you!" Pettigrew grinned.

HONK!

The daffodil emitted a loud, high-pitched honk to show that it was happy with its new owner. The four were startled when they first heard it, but quickly laughed at the ridiculousness of the situation.

"Do you think I could put it on the windowsill?" asked Pettigrew.

"Sure, I don't see why not. It seems to like it there," Sirius shrugged as Peter set the plant into the sunlight and it honked. They all laughed again.

* * *

**A/N- Harry Potter and friends and everything else you recognize do not belonging to me as they are the property and creations of J.K. Rowling. **


	9. Christmas in the Tower

**Year One: Chapter Eight  
Christmas In The Tower**

* * *

The autumn and its coloured leaves quickly disappeared and a cold white winter came. Hogwarts woke one morning to find that a thick sheet of white snow had fallen all around the castle. The Great Lake had iced over and students bundled up in coats and scarves skated on it. James and Sirius would go out onto the grounds everyday and, while hiding behind a large tree, would make sport of bewitching snowballs to pelt the skaters, and then would snicker to each other the entire time because no one ever discovered them.

Sirius's family had forbidden him from returning to his house to celebrate the Christmas holiday with them. He, of course, had no objections or complaints about spending his vacation in a nearly deserted castle. James, however, had to write his parents a letter explained that he wound be remaining at Hogwarts that year. They were greatly disappointed by this, but accepted his request and wished him the very best for the holidays.

The snow flurried fast through the wind, biting to the core. This was how the four Gryffindors found themselves shivering against the nipping cold at the tiny platform of Hogsmeade Station. The train's steam encircled around them, making it difficult to see their departing friends wave to them as the train took them around a corner and out of sight.

"So what are we gonna do now, James?" Sirius asked after a long moment of uncomfortable silence.

"Dunno," James shrugged. His mind quickly wandered to the Quidditch Pitch where the Hufflepuff team was practicing and his eyes soon followed.

Sirius followed his gaze and watched the team for a short, quiet amount of time before suggesting that the two play Wizard's Chess, bringing James back to reality. He agreed nonchalantly. He was horrible at playing Wizard's Chess and everyone knew it, but he knew that Sirius enjoyed the game and outwitting him, so he decided to humour.

The two played Sirius's glass chess set together near the heat of one of the fireplaces in the Great Hall. Snow fell from the sky of the ceiling, but never further than halfway down the room before disappearing, or the holly-ringed candles would have gone out. Every thirty or so minutes, the Great Hall's mighty oak doors would swing open and a tall, giant tree with two huge feet and large, powerful arms dressed in a warm, brown moleskin came into the Hall. They offered to help Hagrid, the giant gamekeeper, who had helped them out of the Forbidden Forest on Halloween, bring the trees in, but he politely refused the help.

James became more and more careless during their game of Wizard's Chess because he was intently watching little Professor Flitwick and stern Professor McGonagall decorate the trees Hagrid set around the Great Hall. Sirius finally tore James's attention away from Professor Flitwick, who had gold and red bubbles blossoming out of the tip of his wand and was levitating them up to the upped branches of the newest tree.

By the time James and Sirius finished their game of Wizard's Chess, McGonagall, Flitwick, and Hagrid had decorated the entire Hall for Christmas. Festoons of holly and mistletoe hung from the walls and no fewer than a dozen tall trees stood all around the Hall, similarly uniformed with red and gold baubles. Some of the trees sparkled with tiny icicles, while others glittered with hundreds of flickering candles.

James and Sirius spent that evening in the Common Room. They were completely alone, so they could sit in the large, comfortable red armchairs by the fireplace that were usually reserved for only the older students. They talked with each other and ate chocolate and laughed and schemed of different ways to get the Slytherins expelled.

"When I'm older and out of school, James began, flipping through his favorite Quidditch magazine, "I'm gonna be the greatest Quidditch player ever."

"You really think so, James?" Sirius grinned, somewhat doubting James.

"Yeah," he closed the magazine and showed it to Sirius. "And I'm gonna be on the cover of every edition of _Quidditch Weekly_."

Sirius couldn't hide his snickering any longer. "I think that butterbeer's going to your head, James."

James frowned. "Then what are you gonna be outta Hogwarts?"

Sirius rolled his eyes. "James, I'm eleven. I'm trying to survive the wrath of McGonagall."

* * *

A fresh blanked of snow fell across the castle as James opened his eyes and stared blearily around. He slipped on his glasses and saw a large pile of presents sitting at the end of his bed.

Grinning from ear to ear, he kicked the golden sheets off, ran to Sirius's bed, and roughly shook his friend awake.

"Wake up, Sirius! Wake up! It's Christmas!" James sat on Sirius and shouted while he shook him.

Sirius opened his eyes in shock and frowned. "Geoff!" he hushed James off.

James looked disheartened. "Sirius…it's Christmas…."

Sirius blinked again. "Wait…I'm at Hogwarts, right? I'm not dreaming or - "

" – No!" James interjected. Sirius's face was plastered with a large grin instantly.

"No Bellatrix or Regulus! No mother or father! No Kreacher or Aunt Elladora! This is the best Christmas ever!" Sirius kicked his blankets off, too, and leapt out of his bed.

James chuckled at his eagerness. "Wait! You didn't even see you presents yet."

Sirius looked mildly confused. "Presents? My family wouldn't have - "

"No," James shook his head, "from Remus and Peter and me."

"You…." he looked a loss of words, "…you didn't have t do that."

James shrugged. "It's nothing."

Sirius looked at his presents regrettably. "But I didn't get you anything…."

James shrugged. "Don't worry about it." He picked up a present from Sirius's pile and threw it to him. "Open it up!"

Sirius stared at him for a few more seconds before he ripped apart the wrapping paper. "Whoa!" he exclaimed. "Check this thing out!"

James walked to Sirius's side and stared at the glass orb in his hand. Intricate designs of gold were drawn across the entire surface of the orb and a clear, misty fog floated around inside of it.

"What is it?" James asked. Sirius shrugged and handing the folded letter that had come with the present to James, who opened it and read it aloud.

_Hey Sirius!_

_This is called an acutuscope. It tells you if there is something near you that is dangerous by vibrating. The fog inside is probably clear now, right? That's a good thing. The more dangerous something is, the more crimson the fog will become. A dog that wants to bite you would probably make it be a pinkish-red. A vampire or dementor would probably be more of a bloody crimson red._

_I hope you're having a fun holiday! See you next year!_

_From,  
Peter_

"Cool," said James as Sirius rolled the acutuscope over in his hand.

"Yeah," he nodded in agreement and set the glass orb carefully on his bedside table. "James, your turn!" He grabbed a present off of James's pile and handed it to him. "Happy Christmas!"

James grinned and tore away the wrapping paper to find a box. Neatly folded inside of the box was a huge surprise.

"Whoa!" Sirius exclaimed as he stared at the present. James lifted the long, silvery gray cloth out of the box. It was huge and felt like water woven into thread. "My…my dad…he said that he was going to give me his old Invisibility Cloak when he felt I was the right age and…." James trailed off in amazement. Invisibility Cloaks were extremely rare and to have one of his own was a very extraordinary.

"…and here it is," Sirius finished. James nodded but didn't say a word. "Try it on, James!" Sirius yelled. James grinned again and covered himself with the cloak shoulder-down. He looked to see that the rest of him had disappeared.

"It'll be perfect for pranking," James slipped the cloak off again and folded it back up with a satisfied smile. "We'll never have to worry about being caught!"

"My turn again, right?" Sirius asked James as he tucked his new Invisibility Cloak into his trunk.

He nodded back, "Yeah."

Sirius grabbed his present from Remus. He opened it and a blank sheet of parchment fell to his feet.

"What's that?" James asked, watching Sirius bend over and pick it up off of the floor.

Sirius shrugged. "Maybe he wants us to do our homework." James laughed.

"Seriously, though, isn't there another paper or something? A letter?" James asked.

Sirius picked up the wrapping paper and stared at it.

"Anything?" James asked again.

"I get it!" Sirius exclaimed, dropping the wrapping paper. He ran to retrieve his wand from his bedside table.

"Get what?" James asked curiously. "What are you doing?" Sirius tapped the blank sheet of parchment with the tip of his wand and he muttered something under his breath.

James gaped at the blank sheet of parchment as words, as if written by an invisible hand, appeared on the paper.

_Dear Sirius, James, and Peter,_

_I apologize that this wasn't very easy to understand at first. This parchment will, however, magically transfer anything you write on here to all of us._

_I hope that you are all enjoying your Christmas holiday! Write back soon!_

_Sincerely,  
Remus_

"How did you do that?" asked James.

Sirius handed him the wrapping paper and James read the large, bold letters on the underside. _Tap the parchment with you wand and say "Bertie Botts."_

"This oughtta liven up Professor Binns's class," James laughed and picked up another present. He opened it and found a jumper his great-grandmother and mother had knitted for him. James grimaced as he held up the maroon sweater.

Sirius laughed. "Well? Aren't you going to try it on?"

James glared daggers at him before he slipped the jumper over his head. "It's…a bit itchy…" James frowned and itches his sides while Sirius continued to laugh. Sirius grabbed the letter that came with his present and read it over.

"Your parents want to have me over this summer," said Sirius.

"Really?" James stood beside Sirius and read the letter.

Sirius nodded and picked up another present. He ripped off the wrapping paper and found a dark blue jumper inside. It was James's turn to laugh.

"Well? Aren't you gonna try it on?" mocked James. Sirius shook his head and set the jumper onto his bed.

"I will later," Sirius grimaced. "Your turn again." James opened his present from Remus and found that he, too, had received the same sheet of parchment as Sirius. Sirius opened his present from James and found a six-pack of butterbeer.

"Butterbeer! Thanks, James!" Sirius grinned and set it aside for later. "Happy Christmas, James."

"Happy Christmas, Sirius," James grinned as well.

* * *

**A/N- Harry Potter and friends and everything else you recognize do not belonging to me as they are the property and creations of J.K. Rowling. **


	10. Under the Cloak

**Year One: Chapter Nine  
Under The Cloak**

* * *

The holidays were soon over and the students returned to Hogwarts again. James and Sirius, bundled up to keep off the cold weather, waited at Hogsmeade Station, eager for Peter and Remus to descend from the train.

They were two of the last students to get off of the train. Remus wore a knitted scarf around his neck and an old, shabby robe. Peter wore blue earmuffs over his curly blond hair and mittens over his frozen hands. He squinted against the cold wind blowing in his face as he looked for James and Sirius. He quickly spotted them and pulled Remus along to greet them.

"Hey!" he grinned widely as he and Remus approached them. They looked at him excitedly, too, and smiled as well. "How were your holidays?"

"Fine," answered Sirius. "Thanks or the present by the way. That was really a great gift."

"You're welcome," Peter grinned, his nose pink from the cold. "I'm glad you liked it." The four were almost completely alone at the station. Almost everyone else had already left back for the castle.

"So how were you lots' holidays?" James asked Peter and Remus.

"Great! I got a book all about fanged geranium and Mum baked a pumpkin pie!" Peter exclaimed excitedly. The other three laughed. Peter loved to eat.

"What about you?" Sirius asked Remus.

"Remus has great news. He told me on the train!" interrupted Peter. Remus turned red.

"Really?" James looked curious. "What is it?"

"I…that is my mum has been feeling much better lately," he answered.

"Blimey! That's wonderful!" James grinned.

"Yes," Remus nodded, "we're all very happy for her."

"I saw her on the platform before we got back on the train," explained Peter. "She didn't look sick at all!"

Sirius smiled. "That's great, Lupin."

James ran a hand through his already messy hair and changed the subject. "So did you two hear that there was going to be another Quidditch match today? It'll be Gryffindor versus Hufflepuff!"

"Really? How much longer before it starts?" Peter asked.

"About two hours," answered Sirius.

"Then we should probably head back up to the castle and get ready," Remus commented.

Sirius moaned. "Oh come on, Remus! We still have two hours left to get ready. Lets have a snowball fight," he suggested. Remus rolled his eyes and shook his head.

"No, Sirius, I really think we should be getting ready," he repeated. Sirius groaned loudly and stomped away to the castle ahead of the three.

Remus put his finger over his mouth, telling James and Peter to be quiet. He slowly bent down to the ground and scooped up a handful of snow in his bandaged hands.

"What are you - " James whispered, but Remus brought his finger to his mouth again, signaling for silence. He formed the snowball in his hands and took aim.

James smirked and Peter stared in surprise. Though Sirius had stomped quite far away from them, Remus had still successfully hit target with the back of Sirius's head. He froze in his tracks and spun around to see the unlucky victim who had thrown the snowball at him.

Peter struggled to suppress his laughter. Remus, hands behind his tattered robes, whistled innocently. James tried to hide his smirk behind a gloved hand and failed pitifully. Sirius glared darkly and rushed at a surprised James, knocking him backwards off of his feet and into the snow. The two rolled around in the snow, laughed and punching each other playfully while Remus and Peter cheered and clapped them on.

Sirius grabbed a handful of snow and stuffed the snowball into James's mouth. James quickly pushed Sirius away from him and he spat and sputtered the snow out of his mouth.

"The winner!" Sirius knelt up on his knees and exclaimed. Peter clapped and Remus laughed.

"You great oaf!" James glared at Sirius, but was still smirking playfully, "it wasn't even me!" He pointed at Remus who smirked as well.

Sirius blinked in surprise and smirked. "Really, Remmy?" Remus shrugged.

James threw a snowball at Remus while Sirius distracted him, hitting him squarely in the face. Sputtering as James had earlier, he wiped the snow out of his eyes as Sirius, James, and Peter laughed at him.

"But seriously, we should be heading back to the castle now," Sirius mocked Remus. James and Peter laughed and Remus rolled his eyes again, but smiled with them as well. They chased each other the entire way to the castle, racing each other, pushing each other face first into the cold snow, and throwing more snowballs the whole way.

* * *

The students and professors sat in the stands to watch the Quidditch match against Gryffindor and Hufflepuff in the numbing wind. Tilden Toots, a second-year Gryffindor, was in the teachers' stand to provide the commentary for the game again.

The snow drifting in the wind blew into everyone's faces. Everyone there had brought at least a heavier rove or jacket, and many had brought blankets or quilts.

The four sat together in the stands. Sirius was the only one to have brought a blanket and he and James had it wrapped around their shoulders to keep warm.

"Hello and welcome to another exciting Quidditch match! This time it's between Hufflepuff and Gryffindor!" Toots announced and the students cheered enthusiastically. "On Hufflepuff, we have Calwalder as Team Captain and Keeper! Chadwick, Sheldon, and Ackerman are Hufflepuff's Chasers, Lansbury and Hansfield are Hufflepuff's Beaters, and Cragit is Hufflepuff's Seeker!"

The Slytherins and Hufflepuffs cheered, waving black and yellow flags.

"On Gryffindor's team, Terry is the Team Captain and Keeper! Wassner, Dearborn, ad Newman are Gryffindor's Chasers, Thierheimer and Murphy are Gryffindor's Beaters, and Flynn is Gryffindor's Seeker! The Gryffindors and Ravenclaws wore the lion and waved the red and gold banners.

"Professor Sykes is on the field now, telling them that they're not allowed to kill each other…." James could imagine Professor McGonagall rolling her eyes, though she said nothing. "She throws the Quaffle up and the players race for their stations. Adelaide Chadwick of Hufflepuff had the Quaffle and is racing toward Jerome Terry at the Gryffindor goal posts. She dodges a bludger sent at her from Adam Murphy and throws the Quaffle in – and Terry just catches it! He throws it back into the game and Cassidy Dearborn catches it. She's flying down the court and throws the Quaffle to Linda Newman, who swerves to miss a bludger from Callum Lansbury. She's down the court and throws the Quaffle at Harold Calwalder at Hufflepuff's goal posts – and he misses, IT'S IN! TEN POINTS TO GRYFFINDOR!" The Gryffindors and Ravenclaws cheered. "Hufflepuff is back in possession of the Quaffle. Oliver Sheldon takes it down the field, throws it to Brooke Ackerman who narrowly misses a bludger sent from Monty Thierheimer…she passes the Quaffle to Chadwick who throws it to Terry – AND IT'S IN! THE SCORE IS TEN-TO-TEN! A TIE!" The Hufflepuffs and Slytherins cheered while the Gryffindors and Ravenclaws moaned. "Gryffindor is back in possession and we have yet to see any sight of the Snitch yet. Michael Wassner has the Quaffle and takes it back to Hufflepuff's goal posts."

Cragit and Flynn both searched the sky for the Golden Snitch, but caught no sight of it. The students and professors in the stands were frozen in the howling winds and almost blinding snow, but continued to pay attention and watch the Quidditch match anyway.

And then Flynn saw it. The Snitch. She raced toward it, closely tailed by Cragit. "Katie Flynn has seen the Snitch and she's going for it! Emma Cragit is close behind, but Flynn is closer to it. She's gonna get it – go Katie!"

"Mr. Toots!" McGonagall's voice was heard chastising him, but their attention was quickly drawn to Flynn again. Bradley Hansfield, one of the Hufflepuff Beaters, sent a bludger crashing toward her. It smashed through her broomstick, snapping it into two pieces. The crowd gasped as she fell to the ground quickly, but sighed breaths of relief when Dumbledore stood up in the stands and conjured a spell, slowing her fall. Madame Pomfrey and Professor Sykes were down on the field almost immediately and hurried to her side to help her to the Hospital Wing. The Snitch had disappeared again.

When the commotion died down, Gryffindor was given a free shot into Hufflepuff's goal posts. Linda Newman was given the red Quaffle and she flew up, her numb fingers tightly gripping her broomstick handle so that she wouldn't fall as well. She took aim and threw the Quaffle.

"And another ten points to Gryffindor!" Tilden Toots announced. "Well with Gryffindor's Seeker out of the game, they're going to have to work really hard if they want to win," he stated. The Hufflepuffs and Slytherins cheered.

The remaining thirteen players flew around in the sky for another hour as the audience became colder and more impatient for the game to end. The snow was coming down harder than it had before and the wind hit them hard, but there was still no sign of the Golden Snitch anywhere.

Peter yawned and looked to his right to see Remus reach into his robe's pocket. He pulled out something in a shimmering silver wrapper. It was –

"You had chocolate with you this entire time and you didn't tell me? Come on, hand some over!" Peter exclaimed indignantly. Remus reluctantly broke off half of the chocolate bar and handed it to Peter. He accepted it gratefully and thanked him.

Sirius stared at he two in disbelief. "What was that? Was that chocolate? Give me some!" he yelled over the screaming wind.

"Me, too!" James added in agreement. Remus looked up at the two just as he was about to eat the chocolate. He groaned and broke the rest of his chocolate in half for James and Sirius.

"Thanks, Remmy!" Sirius smiled and shoved the chocolate into his mouth. James nodded as well and began to munch on his chocolate. Its warmth spread down through his body to his fingers and toes, but its warming effect was unfortunately short-lived as he soon found himself shivering against he cold wind once again. Remus nodded nonchalantly and mumbled something incoherent that was lost to the roar of the wind as he rolled the silver wrapper back up and put it into his pocket again.

"The score is now 180 to 150, Hufflepuff in the lead," Toots, as well as many other students in the stands, was growing more and more impatient and uninterested in the game. The Golden Snitch had disappeared long ago and the game had been going on for four hours. The sun was sinking into the horizon and then finding the Snitch would be nearly impossible. Even James was becoming tired of the long game. Peter and Remus had been asleep for an hour. Peter rested his head on Remus's scrawny shoulder and Remus had his head on top of Peter's sleeping head. Sirius and James gave them the blanket so that they wouldn't be too cold. They sat and shivered together in the cold instead. James turned his attention to Sirius and saw that he had both of his hands cupped over his mouth as he puffed some warmth into them. James looked back to the game. He wondered why Dumbledore didn't call off the game until a better time. He supposed that he would if it became too dark outside, but then he could never be completely certain about Dumbledore.

The game wasn't very fair, either. Hufflepuff still had their Seeker to catch the Golden Snitch (wherever it was), but Gryffindor's Seeker was currently resting in the school's Hospital Wing. The team's morale was down because of Flynn's absence as well, so they weren't playing as well as they usually did. James became more frustrated and wished he could play with them. If he could just get up there and fly around on one of those broomsticks – he could teach some of them a thing or two about Quidditch. He would play Quidditch with his father at home and he knew he was good.

"And ten more points to Hufflepuff as Chadwick scores again. Newman in possess – oh! Professor! The Snitch! It's the Snitch! It's right up there!" Tilden Toots stood up and pointed to the Slytherin stands. The audience in the stands sat up from their deadened positions – those that weren't sleeping – and watched eagerly. Toots telling her where the Snitch was was all of the help Cragit needed. She flew through the blinding snow and outstretched her arm.

"And with the final catching of the Golden Snitch, the score is 340 to 150! Hufflepuff wins!" Even though he was a Gryffindor, he still cheered, as did many other Gryffindors. They were relieved that the game had finally ended and that they could go back inside the warm castle.

"Remus, wake up! Peter!" James shook the two slightly to wake them up. Remus moaned, but raised his head off of Peter's head. Peter raised his head as well, yawning and stretching.

"So what happened?" Remus asked with a groggy voice.

"The game's over," stated Sirius. James nodded, his glasses slightly fogged up. He took them off and wiped them off on his jacket.

"Who won?" asked Peter.

"Hufflepuff," James answered as he replaced his glasses. The four stood up and left the Quidditch Pitch with the rest of the school. They all walked back to the castle under Sirius's blanket, eight feet leaving a long trail of footprints behind them in the snow.

"Blimey!" James exclaimed indignantly when they were in Gryffindor's Common Room. He threw the blanket off of his shoulders and ran to the fireplace to warm his frozen hands. "I've never been so cold my entire life!"

The other three sat nearby on the floor under Sirius's blanket because the couches and chairs were already taken by older students attempting to warm up as well.

"Hey James! Do you know what would be a good treat right now?" Sirius asked, smirking.

"I dunno. What?" James shrugged.

"Some of my Christmas butterbeer, that's what!" replied Sirius. James grinned wide and his eyes glowed excitedly.

"That sounds great! Go and grab some for us!" James said. Sirius grinned wickedly and stood up. He quickly crossed the length of the Common Room and darted up the stairs to their dormitory. Some of the other students in the Common Room also left for the night.

Sirius came back down soon afterward with four bottle of butterbeer. The couches were now empty of students, so he sat down on one. James stood up to accept the butterbeer that Sirius offered to him and he handed the other two bottles to Remus and Peter on the floor. James sat on the couch beside Sirius, opened his bottle, and took one long, savoring gulp, feeling the cool liquid warm him to his bones.

Peter set his bottle of butterbeer down on the floor and looked up at the two thoughtfully. "You know, you two never properly told us how your holidays went."

"We didn't, did we?" Sirius looked to James and then back to Peter. "Well, lets see…we played a lot of Wizard's Chess and we cursed snowballs to chase people around," Remus rolled his eyes and shook his head disapprovingly but said nothing while Peter laughed at the thought of it. "James's dad also gave him the most amazing gift ever, too."

"What did your father give you, James?" asked Remus.

"He promised me that he would give it to me for years, but I was still really surprised to see it," James stalled.

"What was it?" Peter asked impatiently.

James's eyes lit up and he smirked. "An Invisibility Cloak."

"Really? Could you bring it down for us to see?" asked Remus.

James nodded and stood up. He ran to their dormitory and, being careful not to wake Frank up, opened the trunk at the foot of his bed. He pulled out the cloak and closed the trunk quietly. He left their dormitory and ran back down the stairs. The Common Room was now completely empty, save for the four, and the grandfather clock in the corner chimed twelve.

He sat back down on the couch, the Invisibility Cloak folded neatly on his lap.

"Does it really work?" Peter asked.

"Yeah. Go on, try it on," James handed him the cloak. He took it in cautious hands and felt the watery material. He stood up and hesitantly wrapped it around his waist. His and Remus's jaws dropped when they saw his lower half vanish from sight right before their eyes. "Blimey…" was all Peter could manage to say. He took off the cloak and handed it back to James.

Remus suddenly looked away from the cloak with a surprise expression on his face. He stared at the back of the Fat Lady's portrait intently.

Peter instantly noticed the change. "Remus? What's - " he began.

"Shh," he hushed him and continued to stare at the back of the portrait alertly. "Someone's coming." He stood up abruptly, but did not move any further.

"What?" Sirius asked. "I don't hear - "

"We shouldn't still be awake. We shouldn't be down here now. Come on," he started to round the couch so that he could go back up to their dormitory. Sirius, Peter, and James, still holding onto his Invisibility Cloak, closely followed behind him, concerned.

"Remus, there's noth…" James heard the Fat Lady's portrait slide open. The four quickly huddled together behind the couch out of sight and were completely quiet.

The footsteps sounded light and small, as if they belonged to a small child instead of any of the professors. James supposed that it could perhaps be Flitwick, but he quickly realized that he wouldn't be in the Gryffindor Common Room. He was the head of Ravenclaw house. James puzzled over whom it may be before he chanced a peek around the corner of the couch.

A little creature had come into their Common Room. It had large, round eyes, bat-like ears that flopped as it walked, a long, pointy nose, and long fingers and curly feet. It wore a tea towel bearing the Hogwarts crest. A house elf.

James moved behind the couch again. "There are house elves at Hogwarts?" Sirius shrugged.

"Where do you think it came from?" asked Peter.

Sirius shrugged again. "Dunno."

James grinned wickedly, an idea striking him. "Do you want to find out?"

"How?" asked Peter.

James smirked and motioned to his Invisibility Cloak. Peter's eyes lit up with excitement and Sirius grinned back mischievously. Remus hesitated, but slowly nodded.

The four were silent as they allowed the house elf to continue his work in their Common Room. It cleaned up the messes the students had made in their haste for bed and returned old studying books to their rightful shelves again. When it had its back turned to them as it folded Sirius's blanket, the four stood up quickly and quietly and snuck underneath James's Invisibility Cloak.

James lifted the Invisibility Cloak slightly above their heads so that they wouldn't be any more constricted than necessary – it was stuffy underneath the cloak with one person alone, but four people made it quite uncomfortable. The house elf completed a few more tasks around the Common Room while the four waited under the cloak. When he was finished, he left back through the Fat Lady's portrait.

"Alright, lets go," James prompted, but before they could go very far at all, they all tripped over each other's feet.

"No, no, no! Stop!" Sirius halted them. "Alright, we all need to walk together. Start with your left foot and then your right. And always start with you left foot, okay?" They all nodded "Alright then, lets try it. Left," they began to slowly inch their way forward, "right," a little farther, "left," a bit further still, "right. Left, left, left, right, left - " James smacked Sirius over the top of his head. "Oh alright…." They made their way to the Fat Lady's portrait and pushed it open. They carefully climbed out.

James and Sirius grinned in spite of themselves while Remus and Peter sighed breaths of relief.

"You two will become use to breaking the rules, we promise," James laughed while Sirius pushed the unoccupied portrait back over the tunnel.

"Is the Fat Lady allowed to leave her portrait?" Sirius asked.

"Well it makes sense. All of the other portraits do," James commented and Sirius shrugged. The four went under the Invisibility Cloak again and walked down the long corridor, hoping that they hadn't lost track of the house elf. They turned around the corner and saw him, though, so they continued to follow him. He stopped occasionally to clean classrooms, but soon led them down to the Entrance Hall and down the marble staircase.

"Where is he taking us?" Sirius mumbled to himself.

He turned left at the bottom of the stairs and went through a door. They followed him down a flight of stairs and through a brightly lit corridor. Cheerful paintings of fruit covered the walls.

A giant painting of a fruit bowl was at the very end of the passage. The four stopped and watched the elf stretch up and tickle the huge green pear with its long forefinger. To their immense surprise, the pear began to squirm, then chuckle, and turn into a large green handle. The elf grabbed it and pulled the picture away from the wall only far enough for it to slip into the portrait hole. The portrait closed again and the handle became a large green pear once more.

"So is that how we get in?" asked Peter.

"I would imagine," remarked Remus.

"Care to try, gentlemen?" asked Sirius. Remus and Peter looked back at Sirius before facing the portrait again.

Peter lifted up the front of the Invisibility Cloak and climbed out. He looked up at the tall painting unsurely for a moment before reaching up just as the house elf had done. He tickled the pear and it twitched, chuckled, and turned into a giant handle.

"Good job, Peter!" James smiled to the smaller boy.

"Ready?" Sirius asked. The nodded. Sirius seized the handle and pulled the portrait. The four crawled inside and the portrait closed behind them again. They all looked back at it.

"Now what?" whimpered Peter.

"Look!" Sirius gasped. James, Remus, and Peter turned around to see what Sirius had been so dumbstruck by. Past the passage they were in was an enormous, high-ceilinged room as large as the Great Hall. Brass pots and pans were piled around the stone walls and a large brick fireplace blazed at the other end of the long hall. Four long wooden tables were positioned exactly below their twins in the Great Hall. There was nothing on them at the moment, but James suspected that piles of dishes and food would be set on the tables and then sent up through the ceiling to appear on their counterparts above.

They looked to each other excitedly before walking through the passage and into the kitchens. At least one hundred tiny house-elves stood around the kitchen staring at them, beaming, bowing, or curtsying respectfully. They all wore the same uniform that the first house-elf had worn: a tea towel imprinted with Hogwart's crest tied like a toga.

An excited little house-elf approached them and curtsied. "What may Sprite be doing for you, sirs?" she asked in a tiny squeaky voice.

Sirius locked eyes with James before scrutinizing the eager elf. "Well we're a bit hungry…do you have any biscuits?"

Less than a second passed by before eight of the house-elves came running to them, all bearing trays full of cream cakes, pies, and any other treat they could possibly think of.

Sirius grinned, taking a cream cake from on of the trays. The house-elf holding it beamed cheerfully while two more house-elves came with two tall glasses of milk. Sirius took one glass and Peter took the other, graciously thanking the elf. "Talk about fast food," Peter commented jokingly. Remus chuckled, but James and Sirius stared at him as if they'd been hit with a Confundus Charm. They had grown up in pureblood families and therefore did not understand Muggle-related jokes.

James's attention returned to the elves as he accepted a cookie from one of the trays. "Blimey…someone pinch me, I think I'm dreaming – OW!" James clasped his hands over his behind in shock, dropping the cookie. Remus and Peter chuckled. An elf walked around him and bowed.

"Yous be wanting anything else, sir, just ask," the elf smiled. Another elf had already rushed over with a dustpan and broom and had swept up the cookie.

James tried his hardest to remain cool as he rounded on Sirius who was still stuffing his pockets with an assortment of treats. "Are you done stealing everyone's breakfast, Sirius?"

"Rad repents ron wewer m rill rugby om noc," Sirius answered with a mouthful of food. Remus rolled his eyes, reminded of how he had first met Sirius.

James blinked. "What?" Even James, as talented as he had become at translating what Sirius was saying with a mouthful of food, stared baffled.

"That depends on whether I'm still hungry or not," repeated Sirius.

"Come on, I think we should be heading back to our dormitory," suggested Peter.

"Alright," James nodded in agreement. "Coming, Sirius?" Sirius sighed deeply and agreed. They thanked the generous elves and left back through the portrait hole.

"Remind me to come again," said Sirius cheerfully.

James nodded. "You've got some chocolate up there," he pointed to Sirius's cheek, beneath his eye. He wiped his face on the sleeve of his shirt. "Oh! Thanks!"

"Shh! Back to the tower," hissed Remus. The three nodded and they climbed beneath the Invisibility Cloak. They walked down the passage past the paintings of food until they were back in the Entrance Hall.

"Meeeeoooowwww!" The four looked down to see Mrs. Norris, the caretaker's doted cat, staring up at them with her large red eyes.

"Can she see us?" whispered Sirius.

"She can probably smell all of the cream cake in your pocket," James hissed. Sirius glared at him.

"Guys," Remus started, "run." They hurried as quickly as they could up the marble staircase, hoping they reached the tower before Filch found them. Thankfully, the caretaker was nowhere to be found as they made it to the seventh floor.

"Do you think we got away?" asked Peter.

"Not sure yet," answered James.

"Oh come on!" Sirius moaned. They had made it to the end of the corridor and the Fat Lady was still absent from her painting.

"Where is she?" panicked Remus.

"Where is who?" to their immense relief, the Fat Lady arrived in just the nick of time. The four climbed out from under the Invisibility Cloak.

"Dragon Breath," James said.

"What are you four doing out after hours?" she asked.

"Just let us in!" pleaded Sirius.

"Oh alright. You could say please, though," she said crossly and swung open. The four clambered inside again, safe from Filch finding them.

* * *

**A/N- Harry Potter and friends and everything else you recognize do not belonging to me as they are the property and creations of J.K. Rowling. **


	11. Severus's Hour

**Year One: Chapter Ten  
Severus's Hour**

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Still rewriting this chapter. Please wait patiently. Thank you!

* * *

The warm summer air soon left Hogwarts as October came around the corner. Remus, once again, had to visit his mother, so he was gone. The three rushed out of the Gryffindor Common Room. 

"Just get a cage for that thing, Peter!" Sirius hollered back at him.

"I can't, Sirius, he's claustrophobic," Peter answered.

"Wait, how can a rat be claustrophobic?" James stopped in place.

"Gee, I don't know. Talk to rat boy here!" Sirius exclaimed.

"He doesn't like small spaces, what else can I say!"

"That's pretty pathetic if you can tell what your rat is thinking, Peter. Crazy, more like it," Sirius corrected himself.

"I happen to like rats."

"Then grow up and marry one."

"Ignore Sirius, Peter," James replied. "He's like that to everyone when he's hungry. Watch this. Hey, Sirius! You run like a girl!"

"So, at least I don't run like a hippo going on a carb diet!"

"See, Peter. Don't worry about it," James assured him. They had reached the entrance to the Great Hall's doors when they heard a low voice from a corner say," Hey, Sirius. Get over here."

Sirius looked down at his rumbling stomach wistfully and then mumbled, "I'll catch you guys later." He walked around the corner.

"Shh," James warned Peter. They quietly followed him and listened behind a column.

"What are you doing here!" he spat at a girl. Her pitch-black hair was pulled back. "You graduated already."

"What do you think your doing hanging out with all of those Mudblood lovers?" she questioned.

"They're nothing like you, why would you be friends with _them_," Narcissa added.

"They're my friends, and you two gits have no right to talk about them like that," Sirius coldly replied. The girl with black hair grabbed his collar and dragged him closer to her face.

"What'd you call us!" she hollered, covering his face with spit.

"Why don't you guys just leave me alone, Bellatrix?" Sirius inquired smartly.

"Forget your in Gryffindor, you can still be friends with us," Narcissa remarked coldly.

"I was never friends with you bitches to begin with," Sirius said.

"So you'd rather be friends with that damn Potter and the other two brats instead?" Bellatrix asked.

"As a matter of fact, yes," Sirius replied coolly. She raised her hand to strike him, but Narcissa grabbed her in midair.

"He's worthless, Bellatrix, don't even bother with him," she remarked. Bellatrix threw Sirius down on the cold, tile floor.

"You're no Black, Sirius. You're not even worthy to share the name," Bellatrix hissed at him.

"And I'm ruddy happy I'm not!" he hollered as the two went back to the Great Hall. Sirius muttered more under his breath as he picked himself off of the floor.

"Come on," James whispered. He and Peter ran to the Great Halls and opened its enormous doors. They found a few empty places at the end of the table and quickly made themselves a seat there.

"Pretend you didn't hear a word," James whispered. "Just start eating."

Peter's small eyes shot to the entrance door again as Narcissa came through. He glared at them, then received a sharp nudge in his elbow.

"What did I just say?" James asked. The doors opened again and Sirius came through them and slouched beside James.

"You okay?" James inquired, concerned.

"Yeah," Sirius said roughly.

"You sure?"

"Yes!" James sighed and nodded his head.

"Hey Potter! Black! Take a look at this!" Frank passed them down a newspaper. Sirius grabbed it and began reading aloud:

**"'_Hogsmeade residents state the_ Shrieking Shack _is haunted_'" **

"Wait, what's the Shrieking Shack?" Peter asked.

"It's a building off of Hogsmeade. You know what Hogsmeade is, right?" James said.

"Yes!" Peter said indignantly. Sirius continued reading.

"'_The_ Shrieking Shack_, what the villagers call it, is a building outside if Hogsmeade. Last night at approximately 9:17 p.m., loud howling and screaming rung through the building. Earlier reports followed a month ago at around the same time. More suspicions are rising since both nights were full moons. Hogsmeade villagers say that restless spirits haunt the house. Hogwarts-_'"

"Spirits! You mean ghost! It's haunted!" Peter stammered. James rolled his eyes and looked over at him.

"In case this hasn't already occurred to you, Peter, Hogwarts is haunted, too, or did you forget?" Peter blushed cherry red as Sirius continued reading the article.

"'_Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry's headmaster, Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore, surprisingly agrees with these rumors and says that the spirit of Victor the Vicious and many others from his gang have taken inhabitance of the rundown house._' Cool." Sirius handed the newspaper back to James. James gave it to Frank again.

"Thanks, Longbottom," James said.

"No problem, Potter."

"So where exactly did Remus say he was going to again?" Peter asked, changing the subject.

"Honestly Peter, he went to go visit his sick mum again, remember?" James replied.

"Hope she's okay," Peter mumbled.

"Yeah, let's," Sirius muttered.

"What is with you, Si? Any mention of his mum and you get this attitude," James inquired.

"Nothing, look," Sirius stood up. "I'm not all that hungry. I'm goin' back up to the dorm."

"'K," James called after him. Sirius departed from the Great Hall.

"'Could you imagine having people like that stalking you wherever you went?" Peter asked. James shook his head.

Shortly afterward, James and Peter followed Sirius's suit and left the Great Hall. They found themselves walking down a deserted corridor when Snape came around a corner.

"What are you two doing down here now?" he asked. "Shouldn't you be at the feast?"

"Well, _Snivellus_," James started coolly, "we have about as much a right to be here as you do."

"My name is Severus," he said, drawling out his wand.

"Ah, ah, ah. No dueling in the corridors, Snivelly," James continued.

"Call me that again and I'll hex you to next week," he threatened.

"Come in, Mother Earth, come in! Is that a nose or a planet!"

"EVERTE STATUM!" Snape shouted, and Peter was sent flying into a corner.

"PETER!" James turned to Snape and cast the first spell that came to his mind, "RICTUSEMPRA!"

He instantly started laughing and couldn't seem to stop. James ran to the unconscious Peter and lifted his head. A trickle of blood ran oozing down his face.

"FURNUNCULUS!" Snape shouted before laughing again. James took the curse head on. Grape sized boils appeared all over his body. He screamed in agony and shouted back, "TARANTALLEGRA!"

Severus started to do some sort of a foreign dance.

"STUPEFY!"

* * *

"Honestly, dueling in the hallway," James heard an voice beside him somewhere, but he didn't want to open his eyes. "And they wonder why they have to come here."

He finally opened his eyes. He was in an unfamiliar room. He reached for his glasses beside the beside stand and put them on.

He was in the school's infirmary, he had to be. There were about fourteen beds, but very few were being used. One had a pink flower curtain around it.

"Ah, Mr. Potter. Finally, you're coming to," a woman came to his beside and left Peter's. James was about to ask her who she was before she stuffed a large block of chocolate in his mouth.

"Don't talk with your mouth full. I'll be right back," she went into another room. Soon she came back with two bottles, which James quickly saw were a Sleeping Drought and a Blood-Replenishing Potion. She went behind the flower curtain.

"There, there, deary, it will all be over soon," he heard her say.

"Please no! Please, I'm only eleven, I've got my whole life ahead of me," James's eyes widened. He knew that voice…It was Remus!

"No one's going to kill you, Lupin, calm yourself, please," she reassured him. "Just let me get at these bandages.

"It stings," he moaned.

"Well I wouldn't expect it not to," she said quickly. "Here, drink this."

She appeared from behind the curtain again and left to put the bottles back.

Something didn't fit right here. Why was Remus here when he was supposed to be at his house helping his ill mother…?

* * *

**A/N- Harry Potter and friends and everything else you recognize do not belonging to me as they are the property and creations of J.K. Rowling. **


	12. Friendship Questioned

**Year One: Chapter Eleven  
Friendship Questioned**

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This is a completely new chapter which has not been written yet. I have provided my notes for it below for anyone who wants to understand what will happen in it. Please wait patiently. Thank you!

Outline: James and Sirius interrogate Remus as to why he was in the Hogwarts Hospital Wing when he was supposed to have been at home. James asks him to trust them during a Defense Against the Dark Arts class. The lesson is a sort of game in which the two students give clues to a particular magical creature and the rest of the class must guess what magical creature they are.

**A/N- Harry Potter and friends and everything else you recognize do not belonging to me as they are the property and creations of J.K. Rowling. **


	13. Whomping with the Willow

**Year One: Chapter Twelve  
Whomping with the Willow**

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Still rewriting this chapter. Please wait patiently. Thank you!

* * *

"You guys should have seen the look on Snivelly's face when I set that dungbomb down his robes, ha! It was to _die _for!" Sirius barked. 

"Shouldn't you three be studying? There are only two more months till exams," Remus ran toward them from the courtyard. They looked up from where they were sitting beneath the old, birch tree.

"Calm down, Remus, you worry too much. It'll be fine," Sirius assured him.

"Yeah, we don't _need_ to study, Remus," James added.

"You guys aren't planning to cheat, are you?"

"Us! Cheat? I can't believe you'd get that idea!" Sirius stated.

"No! That's the last thing we'd do!" James said in defense.

"Besides not getting a detention at least once a month?" Remus sassed.

"Besides that!" Sirius exclaimed.

"But how will you ever pass the exams!"

"Remus, every bloody test we take, we pass. Stop worrying," Sirius assured.

"What about you, Peter? When are you going to study?" Peter turned to him.

"I did yesterday while you were still gone," Peter answered. Sirius stood up and walked up to Remus.

"You know, I got a bone to pick with you," Sirius pointed his finger at him. "You've _disappeared _about five times this year and you don't come back till like three bloody days later or when! Would you like to tell me what the devil is going on?"

"Sirius, I already told you why-"

"So exactly how long has your mum been sick! By the state of how _you_ look I'd say _you're_ the one who's sick!"

"Sirius, stuff it!" James said, pulling him back.

"Sirius, if you knew the half of it..." Remus muttered to himself.

"I might if you tell us something. Go on, enlighten me," Sirius challenged.

"I have to go," Remus mumbled, walking away again.

"I swear, Sirius..." James shook his head as well.

"Hey! What are you guys doin'?" Frank sat down with them.

"Nothing, really," James shrugged.

"What do you want to do?" Sirius asked him.

"I don't know," Frank turned around and saw the Whomping Willow baring its branches at passerby students. "I bet I can touch the trunk of the Whomping Willow before any of _you_ can. What do ya say, Sirius? Ya up for it?" Frank challenged. Sirius looked thoughtful.

"Okay, first one to touch it wins five galleons?"

"Fine by me."

"You're on," Frank and Sirius stood up and shook hands.

"Count me in," James stated, standing up as well.

"Cool, mate. What 'bout you, Peter? Ya comin'?" Frank asked.

"Yeah, but I don't know if I'll actually do it..." Peter trailed off.

"Whatever, mate. Your loss," Frank said.

"Come on, Peter, we're burning hours," James beckoned him to come. Peter stood up and ran to catch up with the other three. They entered the Forbidden Forest and came to the Whomping Willow.

"Okay, who's goin' first?" Frank asked.

"We could flip a coin to see," Sirius suggested.

"Nice idea, genius, but there are _three _of us," James stated.

"I knew that!"

"We could go youngest to oldest," James suggested.

"Fine. My birthday's on September 8th," Frank said.

"October 17th," James stated.

"Oh man!"

"When's your birthday, Siri poo?" James asked.

"April 21st," Sirius mumbled.

"Ha, ha, your first!" James taunted.

"Fine."

Sirius walked up and stood in front of the Whomping Willow. He looked up at its powerful branches and gulped.

"Anytime, Sirius," James said, pretending to check an invisible watch on his arm.

Sirius sighed and ran toward the tree. One of the branches came down and almost slapped him away, but he ducked it in time. He ran forward again. Another branch came down so low that he had to fall onto the grass to avoid it. He got back up, but just when he did a branch came out of nowhere and caught him seated on top of it. He flew through the air like he was on a bewitched broomstick. Small twigs slapped him in the face as he flew. The tree finally managed to send him flying off of it and into the ground below.

"SIRIUS!" Frank, James, and Peter hollered together, running toward him.

"Sirius! Are you alright!" James asked. Sirius spit the dirt out of his mouth and looked up at them.

"That...was...wicked!" he stood up and brushed the grass off of his clothes. "Okay, so that means your next, James!"

"Okay," James replied, unsure of what might happen to him. He ran forward as well. The tree came charging down on him at lightning speed. He held onto the branch before it chucked him off as well.

"Whoa...You sure you want to go, Frank? That was really..." James trailed off as he held his head in a daze.

"I said I would," Frank replied, walking up to the tree next. He made a run for it but a branch came down and threw him flying.

"Ugh..." Frank held his stomach.

"What are you doing?" a few third year boys walked up to the three.

"Trying...to touch...the trunk of the...Whomping Willow," Frank answered, still feeling sick from the slap.

"Oh, really? Well then, I'll show you how it's done," one of the boys attempted the act, but failed. The other two tried as well, but didn't even get close.

Soon there were students lining up to see if they could touch the trunk. There was a huge crowd gathered round when Remus got there.

"What the hell are you idiots doing?" he called back at them.

"Whoa...Did _you_ just say _that_, Remus?" Sirius acted surprised.

"That's not important! Get them to stop now!" Remus exclaimed.

"To late," a student screamed as they were sent hurtling toward the audience. "It's already become a school hit. As long as _no one _tells," Sirius retorted.

"Sirius! What are you playing at? I can't let you continue this!" Remus hollered.

"Come on, Remus. You don't want to spoil everyone's fun, do you?" James joined in.

"What do ya say? You scratch my back and I'll scratch your," Sirius bargained.

"What's in it for me?" he asked in a strange voice, like he was talking to someone else.

"You don't tell Minny what we're doin' and I'll stop askin' you questions 'bout your mum, no matter how much it kills me. Deal?" Sirius outstretched his hand.

"I still don't agree with this," Remus shook his hand. He walked away.

* * *

Soon the sport of touching the Whomping Willow's trunk caught on. It had become one of Hogwart's most popular 'sports' and continued to spread on like wildfire. Finally, however, there was a champion. A fourth year, Gryffindor boy named Davy Gudgeon was the first student who was successful to touch the trunk, giving many older students a renewed hope that they could as well.

At the end of the classes one day, many of the students went outside and toward the Willow to prove themselves.

"Alright, Davy got it first last time, so he starts us off. Ready...set...GO!" Sirius shouted. Davy ran toward the tree, ducking beneath every branch that swung at him. He had almost made it when-

Out of nowhere a branch came down and hit him in the face. He screamed in agony as he held his head in his face. He walked backward, falling when another branch came down.

The audience gasped. James and Sirius looked at each other in a way that said _damn, are we in trouble_.

Remus bit his fingernails viciously. Finally, without warning, he ran toward the tree, falling to the ground to dodge a blow.

"What are you doing! Are you bloody mad?" Sirius exclaimed. He continued to dodge and duck however until he made it to the trunk. Miraculously, the tree froze in midair. The surrounding students stared in awe at it.

"What the bloody hell!" Sirius asked no one in particular. Remus tried to pull Davy out of the Willow's shadow, but couldn't.

"Come on, help me!" he called to James and Sirius. They ran forward and helped pull Davy out before the Willow tried to squash them again.

"Excuse me, out of my way," Professor McGonagall was coming toward, looking very angry.

"Damn," Sirius muttered.

"What do you four think you are doing?" she asked them.

"Uh," they looked unsurely at each other, down at Davy, and up at McGonagall again.

"I am absolutely...fifty points from Gryffindor each, a month of detention, and mark my word, your parents shall know about this. In all of my..." but she couldn't continue any farther, so with a wave of her wand, she conjured a spell and it soon appeared as if Davy were being pulled up by invisible stings binding his wrists, ankles, and his neck. She directed Davy back to the school entrance with her wand.

"Who told! Remus!" Sirius shouted, pouncing on his friend.

"It wasn't me, I swear!"

"I just saw!" Frank came running toward them. "Lets just say it was a little skunk named Severus Snape!"

Sirius let go of Remus and got back up. He saw Snape, walking away with the crowd. He ran after him. James and Frank followed.

Peter helped Remus up again.

"You okay?" he asked.

"Yeah," Remus said, covering his bloody nose.

"Get back here!" Sirius hollered. Snape had begun to run away once he realized he was being chased.

James darted forward and jumped on top of him, knocking him to the ground. He forgot about wands and magic. He began to punch and hit every part of him he could find. It wasn't long, however, before a Hufflepuff prefect ran up to them.

"Alright, break it up," the two saw her and stopped fighting.

"Twenty-five points from Gryffindor, twenty-five from Slytherin with a week's worth detention," she gave the punishment.

"But he started it-" Snape began.

"You started something to get him mad and you fought back, too."

"Self-defense!"

"A week of detention," she insisted, walked away. The two got up and brushed the grass off of their clothes.

"Way to go, _Pothead_!" Snape said.

"Skunk!"

"Mudblood lover!"

The groups walked away.

"You okay, Remus?" James asked as they approached the Whomping Willow again.

"Mum's gonna blow. She trusted me..." Remus trailed off, staring up at the Whomping Willow.

"You're tellin' me? Mum is gonna absolutely kill me... I don't even want to think about it," James said.

"Dad warned me not to blow another stupid stunt like this. I'll be getting a Howler - at the least!" Peter piped in.

"So we lost what, two hundred and twenty-five point? I'd say Gryffindor lost," Sirius replied and the other four nodded.

* * *

**A/N- Harry Potter and friends and everything else you recognize do not belonging to me as they are the property and creations of J.K. Rowling. **


	14. Lily's Revenge

**Year One: Chapter Thirteen  
Lily's Revenge**

* * *

This is a completely new chapter which has not been written yet. I have provided my notes for it below for anyone who wants to understand what will happen in it. Please wait patiently. Thank you!

Outline: James and Sirius get revenge on Snape by jinxing his broom to buck him off with a Hurling Hex. He breaks his arm and is sent to the Hospital Wing. Remus is upset that they used what he taught them against someone and Lily punches James in the face, breaking his nose. He sees Madame Pomfrey about his nose and hears and briefly sees Severus and Lily laughing together over a few Chocolate Frogs. James, quite jealous, decides that Snape is no good for her because he uses Dark Magic, is a Slytherin, and is close friends with Lucius Malfoy. He decides that he must keep the two apart for her own good and safety.

* * *

**A/N- Harry Potter and friends and everything else you recognize do not belonging to me as they are the property and creations of J.K. Rowling. **


	15. Platform Nine and Three Quarters

**Year One: Chapter Fourteen  
Platform Nine and Three-Quarters**

* * *

Still rewriting this chapter. Please wait patiently. Thank you!

* * *

"That dirty rat! That skunk! That...that…" Sirius drifted off. 

"Weasel?" James threw in.

"Weasel! That-"

"You know, calling Snape different names isn't going to get you much of anywhere," Remus said. Sirius stopped pacing and locked eyes with him.

"Did I ask you your opinion?" he went back to crossing the floor.

"I say this calls for drastic measures," James grumbled.

"Yeah," Peter nodded his head.

"I see I'm going to be outnumbered here," Remus said.

"What to do, what to do," Sirius ignored this previous statement completely.

"I say we set his hair on fire," James mumbled.

"We could dye his clothes pink?" Peter shrugged.

"We could drop him from the Astronomy Tower," Sirius suggested.

"Hey! No killing!" Remus snapped.

"Chocolate Frogs down his pants could be fun."

"Hang his underpants on a flagpost."

"No one wants to get that close to him, Peter!"

"You know, guys, in all of the time you're spending here arguing what to do to Snape could be better spent getting to classes," Remus rolled his eyes, "which we're probably going to be late for."

"Good idea, Remus. Exercising and plotting. Multi-tasking! Very good!" Sirius brushed by him as did James and Peter.

"I didn't mean it like that...oh what's the use," Remus sighed and followed suit.

"Oh! Wee ickle firsties on their way to classies!" a high-pitched voice rang through the corridors. The four stopped and looked around.

"Where are you?" James exclaimed, wand poised. "Show yourself."

"Oh, put the stick away Potty. You don't want to poke out an eye!" a short man wearing the wildest clothes appeared bobbing up and down behind them: Peeves.

"We're on our way to class, if you don't mind, Peeves!" James growled.

"Oh. Pottie's got a bit of an attitude on himself today!" Peeves laughed and began throwing water balloons at them.

"Cut it out, Peeves!" Sirius shouted, pulling out his wand now.

"Really? You must be _siriusly_ kidding, Black!"

"Petricifus totalus!" Remus attempted to hit Peeves with the curse, but he just did a back roll in the air and escaped it. He turned and gave a terrible grin.

"_Loony, Loopy, Lupin_! Loony Loopy, Lupin!" he sang.

"Lacarnum Inflammarae!" Sirius whispered, shooting a blue light at Peeves. Peeves hadn't noticed him being to busy singing his new song. He did notice, however, when the four began laughing. He looked around, smelling smoke: Sirius had caught his robes on fire!

"Stop it! Nasty temper you've got!" and with that he flew away.

"Way to show him, Sirius!" James laughed.

"Thanks," Remus smiled.

"Hey, no problem! We look after each other, right?"

"All for one and one for all" Remus suggested.

"Yeah," Sirius agreed. "Exactly!"

* * *

With a week to go till exams, quite a many students were on edge. Particularly the fifth and seventh years who were awaiting their O.W.L.'s and N.E.W.T.'s. The Common Room had turned into a second library. Sirius and James felt it unnatural that so many people be in a library - let alone studying. There could be so many better ways of spending an afternoon than sniffing the pages of books. James and Sirius took it as an excuse to study to help Peter, who was having a horrible time.

The Gryffindor prefects, who were trying to cram in more study time for their O.W.L.'s, would punish anyone who would be disturbing the rest of the study groups.

"Good thing the Head Boy and Girl aren't in Gryffindor. Could you imagine how _they'd _be?" Sirius asked. By the end of the week, James and Sirius had racked up a good seven detentions each.

Finally came the time for the testing, the first class Transfiguration. James and Sirius were finished within ten minutes, but it took the rest of the students the whole allotted time. When the exam was over, they caught up with Remus and Peter. Remus had his head buried in his Transfiguration book, his eyes dancing across the pages. Peter looked near enough to tears.

Sooner than they knew it, though, the exams were complete and everyone returned to normal life. Within a week, the results were posted for Gryffindor Tower to see. The four waited patiently for the older crowd to leave so they could plow through to their own results. After ten or so minutes, they finally got their turn.

"Hey look James! You, me, and Remus are at the top of the list!" Sirius proclaimed.

"Remus, you, and I are at the top of the list," Remus corrected. "Honestly, you're a menace to the English language."

"How did I do?" Peter asked smally. Sirius scanned the list.

"Nope. Sorry Peter, you didn't make it," Sirius sighed. Peter let out a squeak.

"What are you at, Black? Trying to scare the poor kid!" James hit Sirius over the top of the head. "Well you didn't make the top, but you're in-between the middle and the end." James pointed to his name.

Peter jumped up and down, cheering like a five year old in a candy shop.

The four left the train at Kings Cross Station, trailing their trunks behind them. Before they knew what was happening, a small little girl ran up to them with a wide grin on her face.

"Hey Peter! How was your year? Who's this?" she asked.

"Sorry guys," Peter apologized. "This is my little sister, Lyla. Lyla, this is James, Sirius, and Remus."

"HI!" she grinned. "Mum's this way."

"Okay. You guys wanna come? I'm sure she'd like to meet you three," Peter said.

"Sure," Sirius nodded and the followed. Soon, they came to the family. Two older girls, three younger girls, a man and a woman, and a baby cradled in the woman's arms. James saw that Peter looked a lot like his mother, chubby cheeked with baby blue eyes. He had his father's blonde hair.

"Peter! How are you?" his mother asked.

"Fine, mum. This is James, Sirius, and Remus," Peter introduced.

"Pleased to meet you," Mrs. Pettigrew smiled. The baby began crying. "Oh I'm terribly sorry."

"Oh, it's alright," James grinned.

"What's the baby's name?" Sirius asked.

"Johnny," Mr. Pettigrew replied.

"He's so small," Remus awed.

"Would you like to hold him?" Mrs. Pettigrew asked.

"Yes," all four answered. She laughed.

"Alright, but I'm going to ask you to sit down. And is it alright if Peter holds him first?"

"Yeah," the other three nodded as they took a seat on a nearby bench. Mrs. Pettigrew gave Johnny to Peter and laughed when he stuck his small thumb into his mouth.

"Who's everyone else?" James asked.

"Well this is Jasmine and Frankie," Mr. Pettigrew introduced the two oldest. "And Lyla, Belle, and Sara. I daresay you've already met Lyla. A regular chatterbox."

Lyla blushed when Sirius looked at her. He grinned back at her and began playing with the baby. Johnny grabbed onto his forefinger and began sucking on that as well.

"When will Lyla, Belle, and Sara be attending Howgarts?" Remus asked.

"Lyla is two years younger than Peter, Belle is five years younger, and Sarah is six years younger."

"Remus!" a woman's voice called. She came up to the group.

"Remus there you are! How was your trip?" Mrs. Lupin asked.

"Fine," Remus smiled.

"So who is this?"

"These are my friends, James, Sirius, and Peter. And this is Peter's family," Remus said.

"Oh, it's so nice to meet you all," she shook hands with James and Sirius, and smiled and Peter, who was still holding Johnny. For how much Remus went home to see her, she didn't look remotely sick. James turned to Sirius, who had noticed the same thing.

"Well I'm sorry to interrupt this meeting, but your grandmother wants to see you at home. Best not to keep her waiting," Mrs. Lupin suggested.

"Grandma?"

"Yeah, she's interested to hear how you got into Hogwarts."

"Oh. Alright. So I'll see you guys next year?" Remus asked.

"Oh, yeah," James nodded.

"Don't forget to write!" Sirius added. Remus waved and followed his mother.

"Where are your parents then?" Sirius asked.

"Probably around somewhere. Mum's very punctual about being on time," he said. Just then his parents had also spotted him, and came over as well.

"There you are, James! Why didn't you look for us? We were worried!" Mrs. Potter said.

"Hi Mum," James grinned. Good old mum.

"So who is everyone here?" Mr. Potter smiled.

"This is Sirius, Peter, and Peter's family. Remus just left," James said.

"Oh that's a shame. Maybe we can meet him next year," Mrs. Potter sighed. "So this is the notorious Sirius Black I've heard about? I hope you're not to get my son into more trouble?"

"Mum," James groaned.

"Not at all, Mrs. P. I expect that James here told you all about our Halloween prank?"

"Yes he did," she smiled. "Not that I approve of it," she added.

"Mum? Dad? Could Sirius come over some this summer?"

"I don't see why not. As long as it's alright with his parents," Mrs. Potter answered.

"Good luck with that," Sirius laughed.

"Maybe we'll just have to sneak you out of the house then," Mr. Potter grinned, receiving a disapproving glare from his wife.

"Peter and Remus are allowed to come over, too," Mrs. Potter said.

"Excellent. Do you think we could have them over tomorrow then?" James asked. They laughed.

"As long as we go home soon and get the house ready," Mrs. Potter bargained.

"Fine, deal," so with some final goodbyes and good lucks, James Potter and his parents left Platform Nine and Three Quarters. James's heart was heavy for he was leaving his school and his brothers, but also anxious for what the next year would bring for him, Sirius, Remus, and Peter.

* * *

**A/N- Harry Potter and friends and everything else you recognize do not belonging to me as they are the property and creations of J.K. Rowling. **


	16. Prologue: Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place

**Year Two: Chapter Fifteen  
Prologue: Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place**

* * *

Sirius Black lay on his bed, staring up at the ceiling. It had only been little over a month and a half since he had left Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, and yet it felt much longer. Once he had returned to Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place, things had become miserable. Very miserable. He expected as much. His parents had remembered their promise to _straighten him out_. They were still quite upset that he had broken the long-lived Black family tradition and had been sorted into Gryffindor instead of Slytherin. They had come to Hogwarts only a day after Sirius had been sorted into Gryffindor and had tried to have him moved to Slytherin, but Headmaster Albus Dumbledore refused to put him anywhere without his consent. Sirius had decided to remain in Gryffindor with his best friend, James Potter, despite his parents' wishes and they hated him for it.

Walpurga and Orion Black had been truly furious with the son and he had been forbidden to leave their sides for almost the entire break and at all other times was locked away to the confines of his room. He was a prisoner within his own house. He hated it. His large room was dark at night, the only light being provided by the dimly lit chandelier on his ceiling. The dank, smoke filled streets outside only added to the dreary feeling of the Black's family mansion.

Sirius sat up and slid off of his bed. He was still in his clothes and did not feel tired whatsoever. He lifted the dust ruffle up and pulled a wooden box out from under his bed, not caring if he scuffed the hardwood floor at all. He set the box down on his bed and slid off the lid.

Inside of the box were photographs of his friends and him from the previous year. Bespectacled James Potter grinned up at him in one picture, his arm around Sirius's shoulder, while Peter Pettigrew and Remus Lupin waved to him in another. He took those two photographs out and found a few more. Peter fed his pet rat Wormtail, Remus laid asleep, mouth open, with _The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection_ laying open on his stomach, and James smirked before making funny faces to the camera.

Sirius looked up from the photographs and at his dark bedroom. An old family portrait stared back at him from the wall, the eyes of his great uncle glinting back darkly, and Sirius wished he would just go away and leave him alone. Sirius tore his eyes away from the portrait and looked back down at his photographs before a brilliant idea. He opened the drawer to his bedside table and took his wand out. Students were not permitted to perform magic outside of school, but as long as they lived with other wizards or witches, the Ministry of Magic would never know which member of the household performed the magic.

He took the five photographs and walked to the wall by his bed. Looking down at them one last time, he put each of them on his wall with a Permanent Sticking Charm Remus had taught him the year before. He stepped back when he was done and looked it over, smiling happily to himself. He set his wand back down on his bedside table and walked to his window to close the dark velvet curtains. He did not like the smell of the dirty smoke outside and tried to block some of it out through the thick green curtains. His room was almost pitch dark aside from the light cast from a dancing flames in the chandelier. He yawned hugely and turned around to return to his bed, but caught sight of a message written on the magical parchment from Remus. He cast, "Lumos," and the tip of his wand lit up. He bent over his desk to read the message in the pale light.

_Sirius,_

_We're going to Diagon Alley for school supplies this upcoming weekend. Do you think that you can come? - James_

Sirius grinned excitedly before picking up his own quill to write James back a response.

_James,_

_Sure I will! I think I might be able to sneak out! I can't wait! - Sirius_

* * *

**A/N- Harry Potter and friends and everything else you recognize do not belonging to me as they are the property and creations of J.K. Rowling. **


	17. Old Friends Reunite

**Year Two: Chapter Sixteen  
Old Friends Reunite**

* * *

Still rewriting this chapter. Please wait patiently. Thank you!

* * *

Sirius was given his money to go to Diagon Alley that day. He boarded the Knight Bus, a crazy three-decker bus driven by a nearly blind man. After the uncomfortable ride, he vowed never to get within fifteen miles of the bus. 

He entered The Leaky Cauldron, a pub in a dark part of London. He pushed his way through the crowd and into the back alley. Tapping the appropriate bricks with the tip of his wand, he entered the archway into Diagon Alley.

He felt completely renewed to be as far away from his family as he had been that whole summer. Although offered, he had to decline visiting James: his mother didn't believe it was a good idea for him to "mingle" with the boy anymore than was needed.

However, she was not here now and he could "mingle" with anyone he pleased.

He entered the first shop, Flourish and Blotts, and went through to collect his books. Every time he'd here a crash from the floor below him - someone entering the shop using floo powder - he'd look to see if it was James, Remus, or Peter. It wasn't for the first five minutes until he caught sight of a tall, thin woman and a small boy with light brown step out of the flames.

He dropped the book he was holding and ran down the stairs, skipping two as he went. They had hardly entered the shop when Sirius rounded the corner and gave a large bear hug to Remus, knocking all air out of him.

"I'm glad to see you too, Sirius, but I need to breathe!" Remus panted, trying to pry Sirius's arms off of him. However, Sirius released him. He looked almost the same as the last time Sirius's saw him. He had probably grown another two, maybe three, centimeters in the last two months and looked more tired and sickly than normal.

"You have no idea how it has been at home!"

"I can only imagine," Remus gave him an understanding smile. Sirius noticed the woman who had been watching them the whole while.

"Mrs. Lupin, right?" Sirius asked. She grinned and shook his hand.

Of course, Sirius couldn't see her perfectly in the dimmed light, but her hand didn't feel clammy or anything at all like a sick person's when he let go of it.

"So where are your parents, Sirius?" Mrs. Lupin asked.

"I came by myself," he stated.

"Oh. Well then, would you boys like to collect your supplies on your own or..."

"Um..." Sirius trailed off and then looked helplessly at Remus. Remus stared at his feet and then whispered something indistinct into his mother's ear. She nodded.

"Remus would like to stay with me until we leave the store. Is that alright with you?"

"Sure," Sirius shrugged. The three went throughout the store and found their books. Sirius found another titled _Jinxes for the Jinxed_ and Remus _Saucy Tricks for Tricky Sorts_. They paid for them and left the shop, where Mrs. Lupin let them run wherever they wanted - besides Knockturn Alley - and then to meet up with them in front of Gringotts Wizarding Bank at four o'clock.

"So do you think James is here?" Remus asked.

"If he is, I know the one place we'll find him," Sirius replied.

"Where?"

"Quality Quidditch Supplies, where else?" Sirius rolled his eyes. Remus grinned smally as they two made their way for the shop.

"Your mum back there," Sirius began, "she didn't seem too sick or anything."

"Well," Remus closed up immediately, "it's kinda been one of those things, you know...it's kind of off and on."

"Oh," Sirius nodded. He could tell his friend wasn't telling him the entire story, but didn't want to start an argument right now.

They found themselves at Quality Quidditch Supplies. They went inside and, sure enough, spotted the back of a messy black-haired boy gazing into a broomcase.

"Jamie Poo! Over here!" Sirius called. The boy turned around and gave them a lopsided smile.

"Hey! How have you two been? I haven't heard too much from either of you," he said.

"Well, you know..." Sirius shrugged.

"My grandmother came up from France and visited us for a month," Remus explained.

"You're French?" James asked.

"A little," he shrugged, trying to not allow a smirk to form at his mouth. Unfortunately, it betrayed him.

"Do you know French?" Sirius inquired.

"So-so," he grinned.

"Say something!"

He looked thoughtful for a moment.

"Vous sentez comme le fromage corrompu," he grinned.

"What's that mean?" James asked.

"'You smell like spoiled cheese'," he laughed.

"Oh, very funny," Sirius rolled his eyes.

"Oi! Sirius!" a girl's voice called them. They turned around and saw a young brunette waving to them.

"Andie!" Sirius ran toward her, closely followed by James and Remus.

"Wotcher Sirius! I didn't see you all last year! How was your first year at Hogwarts?" she asked.

"Fine, fine. Oh!" he turned to his friends. "These are my friends, James and Remus. Guys, this is my cousin Andromeda."

"Pleased to meet you!" she shook their hands.

"You are never going to believe what I have to tell you!"

"What?" he laughed. She opened up her purse and presented a shiny badge that read _Head Girl_.

"No way!" he picked it up in his palm and laughed.

"Yes. I think it was the proudest Mother's ever been of me. Actually, Teddie, honey! Will you come over here?" she called another young man who was her age as well. He bid his friends goodbye and headed toward them.

"Who's this?" Sirius asked.

"I'll tell you only you gotta keep it a secret."

"Oh. Are James and Remus allowed to know?"

"I don't see why not. Just from the family. 'k?"

Sirius nodded. "Sure."

"This is Ted Tonks, Sirius," they shook hands.

"Hello Sirius! Maybe you know me, I'm in Gryffindor, too."

Sirius slowly nodded his head: Ted was a seventh year as well. "Oi!"

"He's my boyfriend. But you haven't heard the good news!" Andromeda continued.

"What!" Sirius's jaw dropped when she put forth her hand.

"An engagement ring? You mean-"

"Yes!"

"You're getting married? That's wonderful!" James grinned.

"Yes! In June!"

"Wait! Why can't I tell the them?" Sirius asked.

"Well," she seemed to hesitate, "you see, Ted's muggleborn and well, you know the rest..."

"Yeah. Right," Sirius nodded. "Don't worry, I won't tell."

"Thanks!" Andromeda grinned. "Sirius, I'm sorry I didn't give you this earlier, seeing as your birthday was back in April," she reached into her robes and pulled a brown sack out of her pocket.

"What's this?" Sirius took the bag and pulled it open. James and Remus spied around him.

"Bloody hell," Remus gasped. "I've never seen so much gold!" The others laughed at him.

"Are you sure, Andie? Won't you need money for the wedding?"

"Sure, go on, spend the lot! There's more where that came from!"

"Thanks Andie!" he lunged forward and gave her a warm hug.

"No problem. Now get out of here! Make yourselves useful!" she shooed them away.

"Bye Andie! See you soon!" Sirius walked away.

"How much is in there?" James asked cooly.

"I don't know," he poured its contents into his hand. "One, two, three, four..."

"What are you going to do with it all?" Remus stared, dumbstruck.

"I'm getting myself a present, that's what. What do you think they'll have in _Gambol & Japes_?" Sirius started for the smushed shop.

"A joke shop? Just what are you up to?" Remus asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Oh, nothing!" Sirius grinned.

"Nothing at all of interest!" James continued.

"Why would you think anything wrong of us, Remus?" Sirius asked.

"You should be ashamed of yourself. And we actually considered being _your_ friend?"

"You ashame me, Remus!"

"What were we thinking?"

"That's it! You'll never hear from us again! Do you hear me?"

"Hey, dumb and dumber! Are you coming or what?" he stood with the door open.

"Certainly!" Sirius ran through the door.

"Love ya!" James grabbed Remus's face and planted a wet mock kiss on his cheek.

"What! I don't get a kiss!" Sirius asked from inside the shop. James laughed and blew him a kiss.

"Uck!" Remus wiped his cheek.

"You comin'!" Sirius asked. Remus could only roll his eyes and follow.

They entered into what had appeared to be a small, cramped store. Not until they had seen that the inside was enlargened to fit all of their merchandise. They stood in front of a counter where a young man wearing a bright orange vest sat. On either side of the store were tall shelves filled with the strangest objects imaginable: Dr. Filibuster's Fabulous Wet-Start, No-Heat Fireworks, Cribbage's Wizarding Crackers, and Detachable Cuffs.

"Wow. I think I just died and went to heaven," James stared and gaped at the entire shop. Sirius ran off immediately.

"Hey James! Look!" James turned around to see Remus sporting a strange pair of glasses that gave his eyes the appearance of a cat.

"Oh! Not good!" he shook his head. Remus turned to see his reflection in the mirror.

"Uck! I see what you mean!" he gave a crooked grin and went to follow Sirius.

Sirius began scanning through the merchandise, taking in every bit of it. He saw Belch Powder, Grow Your Own Warts kits, Self-Shuffling Playing Cards, and Screaming Yo-Yos.

Then, something caught his eye. A shimmer tucked away in the back. He squinted at it. Reaching in, he pulled out a set of mirrors tied together with string. Attached to the sting was a small slip of paper:

_Tired of not having an owl to converse with your friends? Give one of these mirrors to your friend and let the fun begin! Just say they name, that's all! _

"I want this," Sirius grinned into the mirror. Remus sneered.

"Why? So you can stare at your adorable face all day?" Remus chuckled and slid off the glasses.

"At least mine's more prettier than yours!"

"So sure of that?" he laughed.

Sirius stuck out his tongue. "OI! JAMES! GET OVER HERE!" he called. In no time, James was standing with them.

"What now, Sirius?" James asked impatiently. Sirius untied the two mirrors.

"Here! Take this to the opposite end of the store!" he pushed the other mirror into his chest.

"Alright, alright..." he rolled his eyes and walked away.

"James Potter," Sirius said into the mirror. The image of his face slowly changed to that of his best friend.

"Bloody hell! Is that you, Sirius?" the mirror said in James's voice.

"Who else do you think owns this pretty face, James?" he replied.

"Hey James! Can you hear me?" Remus asked around Sirius.

"Yeah! I'll be right back over!" James's face vanished to be replaced with Sirius's.

"I can't believe it!" Remus gaped.

"Well you better! This is my birthday present!"

"Sirius! That was wicked!" James exclaimed.

"Hey, come on! I'm buying this now!" Sirius started off for the counter.

"And then we better finish our school list!" Remus called.

"Yeah, we will!" James smirked sarcastically.

* * *

**A/N- Harry Potter and friends and everything else you recognize do not belonging to me as they are the property and creations of J.K. Rowling. **


	18. The Hogwarts Express

**Year Two: Chapter Seventeen  
The Hogwarts Express**

* * *

Still rewriting this chapter. Please wait patiently. Thank you!

* * *

"I'll have none of this wishy-washy about associating with those people," Mrs. Black said curtly. 

"Yes, Mother."

"They'll give a bad reflect on your personal image."

"Yes, Mother."

"And tuck your shirt in! Straighten up! Don't you want to make your _Gryffindors_ proud of you?"

"Yes, Mother."

"What was that?"

"I meant yes, I will tuck in my shirt, Mother."

"Good. Now hurry up! I have many of other things to be done!"

And without even a proper goodbye, Sirius Black ran through the pillar into platform nine and three quarters. Smoke filled the air as well as the sounds of anxious students ready to board the train.

"OI! SIRIUS! COME OVER HERE!" James's happy voice was loud enough to be heard over the crowds. Sirius madly grinned and pulled his trunk behind him.

"Where have you been?" he asked.

"Mum troubles," Sirius put on a sour face.

"Yuck. Caught sight of Peter yet?"

"Nope," Remus replied, his back staring at them.

"Your younger brother, when is he coming to school?" James asked.

"Next year, and I'll tell you I just-"

"PETER! OVER HERE!" Remus shouted. He turned to smile and wave at them, then gave everyone in his family an embracing hug, including Johnny.

"Hey Peter! Where were you when we were all in Diagon Alley?" James wrapped his arm around the short boy. He didn't look as if he had grown at all.

"I don't know," he shrugged.

"Look, James. I don't know about you, but I don't think you want to miss the train again," Sirius smirked. James sighed and the four pulled their luggage toward the train.

"Wait! You missed the train?" Peter said.

"That isn't the whole story!" James defended.

"Then why don't you tell us all this marvelous adventure!" Sirius was grinning from ear to ear now.

"Mum wanted to say goodbye and then I ran to catch up the train."

"And?" Sirius pressed on.

"Sirius pulled me in," he mumbled. Peter and Remus wore smirks.

"Yes! And if it wasn't for me, you'd be still at home pulling weeds with your mum!"

"You'd still be at home," Peter laughed.

"Whatever, it doesn't matter," James shrugged.

"What do you mean it doesn't matter! You two never meeting each other! What a calmer world I'd be living in!" Remus laughed.

"Oh yeah! Well you wanna take it outside?" Sirius stood up.

"I don't understand," he chuckled.

"You," Sirius hit his fist on his other hand ."Me. Right now!"

"hat did I do to deserve this, guys?" Remus looked curiously at James and Peter.

"Just go with it! Wear him out so we don't have to wrestle him into that new white jacket I bought him!" James said.

"You're next, Potter! What's it gonna be!" he started throwing fist that never made it all the way to Remus. "Can't you a least do something besides sit there?"

"I'm not hitting you," Remus insisted.

"Come on, just pop me one here," Sirius pointed to his chin.

"Come on, muscles. Show him what you're made of," James teased. Remus sighed and pushed him away-

-knocking Sirius off of his feet and onto the floor. His mouth looked like it was trying to form the word _ow_, but no sound came out. The three immediately knelt down to his aid.

"Sirius, are you alright?"

"Sirius! I'm sorry, I didn't mean it!"

He shook his head when the compartment door slid open.

"Oh, what happened here?" the snack lady asked.

"Oh nothing. I like sitting on the floor better than the seats," Sirius lied.

"Well," she gave him an odd look. "Anything off of the trolley?"

"Yeah. Um..." James looked unsure to the rest of them. "I'll have two bags of Bertie Bott's and two Pumpkin Pastries."

"I'll take three Pumpkin Pastries, and five Chocolate Frogs," Sirius replied from the floor.

"Two Chocolate Frogs," Remus said.

"Throw me four Pumpkin Pastries," Peter grinned.

"One galleon, seven sickles, and four knuts," she smiled. The boys each gave their part, then took their stashes as she counted the money and left for the next compartment.

"Hey guess what I got?" Peter smirked.

"What?" James asked. Peter grinned from ear to ear as he pulled his jacket off of a Cauldron Cake. Their mouths hit the floor.

"Peter! How did you-"

"It's all in the wrist!" he laughed.

"Why you sneaky marauder," Remus stared. "You are gonna give me some of that, aren't you?"

"Sure, but it'll cost you."

"Right," James rolled his eyes. "Fork over the edibles and no one gets hurt!"

"This is to friendship, since it has now officially been three hundred and sixty-five days since all four of us met on this glorious train-"

"Yeah, yeah, Sirius. Hand me some of that Cauldron Cake, Peter!" James interrupted.

The train ride went pretty much the same all the way to Hogsmeade station. Instead of following their enormous friend, they went after the older students toward the carriages.

"See them now!" Remus insisted.

"See what?" James asked.

"There!" he pointed to the empty place in front of the carriage.

"There's nothing there," Sirius sighed. Remus huffed and sat down before the carriages pulled them to the school.

They rounded a corner and Sirius caught his first glimpse of the school in three months. A warmth spread in the pit of his stomach. He was home.

The walked into the Great Hall which, aside from the teachers - minus Professor McGonagall - was quite bare. That sat down at Gryffindor Table and either talked or stared around, waiting for the ceremony to begin.

Professor McGonagall walked the nervous first years up to the front of the room, then went to a small side room and brought a stool. Sitting upon it was none other than the Sorting Hat:

_Oh I may not be pretty  
Like the hats you see of new.  
But hold onto your trousers, boy  
I have a surprise for you.  
I was appointed hundreds of years ago,  
By four fair and wise;  
To sort you into their houses,  
Amid peace or strike.  
To Hufflepuff, the trusted and fair,  
But don't let others control you because your unaware.  
And Ravenclaw, the smart and the bright  
But don't let it all fly past your eyes.  
Gryffindor is home to all who are daring and brave  
But do not let your popularity grow so your ego can't be saved.  
And lastly Slytherin, the cunning and the sly,  
But be careful when choosing your allies.  
Be kind to your neighbors  
No matter race, or blood, or what house he's in.  
Treat everyone equally,  
And now the sorting may begin. _

The room was filled with applause as Professor McGonagall called up the first student. None of the four knew any of the new students this year, so they just half-watched and half-listened, praying the last student would be coming next.

Sirius did, however, learn during this time that he could balance a spoon on his nose longer than James.

Finally, when the last name, Ultimas, was sorted into Ravenclaw, Professor Dumbledore rose to address the school.

"Good evening and welcome to another fantastic year at Hogwarts! And for those returning: Welcome back!" Sirius joined the applause. Dumbledore began again when the commotion died down. "Without keeping you famished from your delicious meals any longer, _dobra dentro_."

Food magically appeared on the tables. No, that wasn't right. Well, not completely. They had learned the previous year it was lifted through the ceiling which was in all reality their floor.

Just before Sirius raced to grab a turkey wing, he couldn't help but look around at the first years and smirk bit as that had been him only the previous year.

When the Great Hall finished consuming the goods, Professor Dumbledore rose to the stand before them again.

"Now before you all return to your dorms, let me make a few small announcements first," his blue eyes scanned the students. "Firstly, the Forbidden Forest is off limits to everyone," he locked eyes with a few people, including them. "Even if you're wearing an invisibility cloak or are flying around on a broomstick.

"Just last year, Professor Sprout and myself planted a Whomping Willow on the grounds. We strongly urge no one to get within fifty feet of it. For those who don't know, it's on the edge of the Forbidden Forest.

"Mr. Filch, the caretaker, has once again asked me to make you aware there is no magic permitted in the corridors. Also he has started a list of illegal items to be found at Hogwarts. I suggest you stop by his office to take a look at it.

"And last, but certainly not least, Quidditch tryouts will be held during the third week of term. Check in your house common rooms for more information concerning time and place.

"Now, before our prefects take you all to your houses let us get in the school spirit and sing a song. Pick any tune you like. One, two, three..."

They four merrily joined along as they knew the words now:

_Hogwarts, Hogwarts, Hoggy Warty Hogwarts  
Teach us something please  
Whether we be old and bald  
Or young with scabby knees  
Our heads could do with filling  
With some interesting stuff  
For now they're bare and full of air  
Dead flies and bits of fluff  
So teach us things worth knowing  
Bring back what we've forgot  
Just do your best, we'll do the rest  
And learn until our brains rot! _

"Thank you all for that motivational song. And now, if you would please leave for a good night's sleep. Tomorrow will be early. Goodnight!" The Great Hall erupted in loud talk of this and that as they four left only half-mindedly watching where their prefect was going.

Not to say they got lost, though.

The prefect stopped at the portrait of the Fat Lady on the seventh floor and with the password - _Dragon Breath_ - swung open the portrait and showed the first years where they would be staying. The four went up to their dorm and played through James's new deck of Exploding Snap cards before turning in for the night.

* * *

Sirius shot up in his sleep to hear someone in their dorm taking very wheezy breaths. Whimpers, pleas that weren't being heard. An occasion thump of a leg kicking. Then, a loud bang.

"What was that?" Peter asked, who had fallen out of his bed.

"James," Sirius moaned.

"What is it, Sirius?" came from James's bed.

"Go back to sleep, it's three o'clock in the morning!" Frank complained.

Sirius wiped the sleep out of his eyes and crawled out of bed. From what it looked like, James was up as well. They both looked at each other before undoing the curtains of Remus's bed.

He looked deathly pale and was covered in sweat that made his hair stick to his forehead and his entangle sheets stick to him. His hands in fist would meet the bed as well as a foot. But what really caught Sirius's eyes was the complete look of terror on his face. The frustration that whoever he was pleading with wasn't listening.

"No! Please stop it! Don't, please! Leave them alone! Stop it!" he mumbled, fussing with the sheets.

Sirius couldn't take it anymore. He grabbed his friend's clammy hand.

"Remus, wake up! It's only a dream!" he slightly shook his hand to try to arise him. The boy stopped tossing in his sleep. Rather, he just lay there, desperately hanging onto every breath. James went a step farther and began pushing his hair out of his face.

"Is he okay?" Peter yawned.

"I'd say in a little while," James whispered. Sirius squeezed his hand to let him know he was there.

"What happened? Nightmare?" Peter asked, looking down into his face as well.

"Yeah," James nodded, rubbing the boy's cheek. "Remus? Are you alright?"

His breathing seemed to have returned to normal as his eyes slowly flickered open. He avoided meeting eyes with them, though.

"Remus! What happened?" Sirius said. He still wouldn't look at them. James placed his thumb under his chin and lifted his head, forcing him to face them.

"Hey, you don't have to be embarrassed, alright. It's okay," James said. Remus quickly turned away.

"Just go away," he mumbled.

"Remus, what's wrong?" Sirius asked. "We're here for you! That's what friends are for!"

"Just please, go," he whispered. If Sirius wasn't mistaken, he saw a tear fall down his face. "I'm a hazard to myself."

Sirius didn't want to leave after that, but he knew for a fact Remus could be very stubborn sometimes. He tried to give him a small smile and a reassuring pat on the back before returning to his own bed.

But there were so many unanswered questions now. What had he meant by he was a hazard to himself? Was it simply a put-down of his nightmare or...

...or was it something else?

* * *

**A/N- Harry Potter and friends and everything else you recognize do not belonging to me as they are the property and creations of J.K. Rowling. **


	19. Oaken Hobday

**Year Two: Chapter Eighteen  
Oaken Hobday**

This is a completely new chapter which has not been written yet. I have provided my notes for it below for anyone who wants to understand what will happen in it. Please wait patiently. Thank you!

Outline: They have their first day of classes. They will cover defensive spells in Defense Against the Dark Arts. The make Swelling Solution in Potions and James sees Severus and Lily together for the first time that year.

* * *

**A/N- Harry Potter and friends and everything else you recognize do not belonging to me as they are the property and creations of J.K. Rowling. **


	20. Gryffindor's New Chaser

**Year Two: Chapter Nineteen  
Gryffindor's New Chaser**

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Still rewriting this chapter. Please wait patiently. Thank you!

* * *

"Is there anyone here who doesn't understand Quidditch?" Jerome Terry, the Gryffindor Keeper and Quidditch Captain, asked the small group of nine students. "No, good. There are two positions up for grabs this year, Beater and Chaser. Now I'd like everyone trying out for Beater to sit to my left side, Chasers to the right. Anyone not trying out, sit somewhere else for now." 

"Good luck, James," Sirius patted him on the back and Remus gave him a reassuring grin. James sighed and nodded at them. The two took seats close to the group so they could hear what was being said.

"We'll have tryouts for Beaters first. Everyone else, wait." The three students who were trying out stood down from the benches. There was one girl, the other two being boys. One of the boys was built heavy, the other light.

"I bet you ten knuts the lofty one wins," Sirius wagered. Remus looked back at him.

"That is a fool's bet," he rolled his eyes.

"Let's begin then," Jerry said. "Horswrail, Thomas."

The smaller boy, a third year, grabbed his bat, mounted his broom, and flew some fifty feet into the air. Jerry, from the ground, opened a box with the Quaffle and two bludgers in it. He unchained the first bludger and let it shoot through the sky. Thomas secured a hand on the broom and knocked the bludger toward the Quidditch post, receiving cheers from the stands below. The bludger came around again, which he sent soaring again.

Jerry unchained the second, which Thomas failed to see. It met him square in the neck, sending him falling to the ground. Madame Hooch, who was watching over the tryouts, caught him in the air and levitated him to the hospital wing.

"Well now you know the dangers of Quidditch," Jerry stated. When he turned around, be was surprised to see the girl had run from the tryouts. He sighed. "I guess she wasn't as ready as she thought."

"Actually, I think that was his girlfriend, J.T.," Adam Muphy, the team's other Beater, said. "Is she gonna get another chance?"

"No," Jerry shook his head. "If she would have really wanted to be on the team, she would have stayed. She has next year. Whimcot, Gabriel."

The sixth year mounted his broom and successfully finished the exercise without flaw.

"Excellent show, Gabriel," Jerry grinned.

"It's Gabby," the boy scowled at his given name.

"Gabby," Jerry nodded as he took a seat. "Chasers next. Come down." The six people left to tryout stood. Three girls, three boys.

"Wait a minute, what are you two doing here?" Jerry asked up to two of the three girls. The instantly giggled. "You're not in Gryffindor. Go back to the school." The girls, Ravenclaws, giggled their way off the pitch.

"So that leaves you four. Line up alphabetically," Jerry ordered. James found himself at the end of the line up.

"Looks like you're first, Bulfinch," Jerry said. Justin Bulfinch mounted his broom and proceeded to the task. He didn't perform at best, though. Two students later and James was called on.

He flew straight up at the fastest speed his broom would allow. Brandy Benson and Lydia Newman were up there, too. Brandy, with the Quaffle, flew away toward the Quidditch post. She dropped the Quaffle, which James caught feet from the ground. The crowd cheered. He smiled in spite of himself and flew up again, passing the Quaffle to Lydia, who flew down the pitch before tossing it back to James. Dodging a bludger as he went, he followed after her. When he was a few feet away from the goal post, he threw the Quaffle with all his might, sending it through the middle ring. He pounded his fist into the air.

Coming back down to the ground, he got off his broom and ran up the stand to sit with Sirius and Remus. Jerry and the rest of the team sat and talked over the new members.

"Oi, James! That was amazing!" Sirius shouted. Remus smiled.

"Good job, James," he congratulated.

"Thanks," he shrugged, "It wasn't _that_ great though."

"What are you talking about?" Sirius asked in disbelief. "James, that was _amazing_!"

"Sirius, my broom was an old Shooting Star," James rolled his eyes. "I could hardly do anything."

"Listen," Sirius patted James on the back, "you were as good as anyone out there. Better. I don't care what you say."

"Sirius-"

"No, you are going to get on the team, you bet!" Sirius stated. He wasn't going to listen to James's whining or complaining. James chuckled and sighed.

"Fine," he shrugged.

Jerry cleared his throat, causing everyone in the stands to hush. He pulled the slip of paper he had been writing on during tryouts out of his pocket and squinted down at it. "Gryffindor's new Beater will be...Gabriel Whimcot," the larger sixth year stood up to his applause. "And the new Chaser will be…"

* * *

**A/N- Harry Potter and friends and everything else you recognize do not belonging to me as they are the property and creations of J.K. Rowling. **


	21. Hogsmeade Through the Hump

**Year Two: Chapter Twenty  
Hogsmeade Through the Hump**

* * *

Still rewriting this chapter. Please wait patiently. Thank you!

* * *

"I can't read what it says," Terry squinted at the paper. Flynn stood up. 

"Let me see," she took the paper from him and tried to decipher the print. "James Porter?"

"James, that's you!" Sirius shouted, proceeding to give him a giant bear hug.

"Geroff," James pushed him off. "What did you say?" he asked in astonishment.

"Practice will start three days from now," Terry said. "The times will be posted in the Common Room. That's all." The students all filed out, leaving James, Sirius, and Remus alone in the stands.

"Congratulations, James!" Remus grinned.

"See! I told ya so!" Sirius smirked. James sighed and let out a chuckle.

"Fine, you were right," he said, "but there's still one thing: I can't go out flying on this!"

"Maybe your parents could get you a broom for Christmas!" Remus suggested.

"Maybe," James shrugged. "I can't believe I made the team!"

"This calls for a celebration!" Sirius announced.

"Sirius, sit down," Remus smiled, shaking his head.

"Butterbeer?" James suggested.

"No. We roam the school again. At night. Look for another passageway," he explained.

"I can't," Remus sighed.

"Why not?" James asked.

"My mum wants me ready for my Aunt Morgana's funeral tomorrow," Remus's head fell into his hands.

"Oh. Why would it take so long to get ready?" Sirius asked suspisciously. Something wasn't right about all this.

"I...I don't know. I have to go. Bye," without another word, he picked up his bag, flung it on his shoulder, and left them alone in the stands. They waited until he left to talk.

"Is it just me or did his aunt die four different times now?" Sirius watched him depart for the school.

"No, she has," James nodded his head.

"Well that's a bit ridiculous! Next time she dies, I'm asking to see the dead body!" Sirius proclaimed. James rolled his eyes.

"Don't be heartless, Sirius," James slung his bag around his shoulder as well and walked down the aisle. Sirius sighed and picked up his book.

"James wait!" James stopped and turned to see Sirius running down the stairs to catch him. When they walked side to side, they talked again. "He's not telling the truth, James. He's lying straight to our faces and shows no remorse."

"I don't know, maybe he has to. Like it's a family secret or something," James tried to "talk sense" into Sirius. Sirius rolled his eyes at this accusation.

"We're his friends, James. Something just isn't right-"

"Well I know that, but if he doesn't want us to know _that bad_, then I'm not going to persist the answer! Give it a rest Sirius!" James exclaimed. The two were silent up to their dorm. Almost.

When they got to the Common Room, Quidditch fanatics who had heard of James's new position on the team stood by the doorway to wish him "Good lucks!" and " "Congratulations!" James grinned at these, forgetting his argument with Sirius for the while. Sirius was a tad annoyed by this, but smiled back at the rest of the Gryffindors before running up the stairs to the dormitory.

He swung open the door and dived onto his bed. He lay motionless for a short time, his hands over his face, before flipping over to observe what Peter was up to.

Forgotten homework to be done at the last second as usual.

"What's that for?" he asked.

"Transfiguration essay on Animagus," Peter looked up.

"Oh," Sirius nodded. "So James made the Quidditch team."

"Oh! Good!" Peter put his pen down and grinned.

"Yeah," he chuckled, "so we were thinking about a celebration."

"Like..."

"Take a trip to Hogsmeade!" Sirius grinned and blew his bangs away from his eye.

"But what if we get in trouble?" Peter asked.

"Like that's stopped us before," Sirius shrugged and walked toward the door.

"Ready?" James asked, pulling out his invisibility cloak.

Sirius nodded. "Yeah. Where do you suppose we should look?"

"In the basement?" he shrugged. "I don't know, that's where we found the kitchens."

"You guys found kitchens?" Peter's eyes lit up.

"Uh..." Sirius didn't answer.

"And you didn't tell me?" Peter's tone changed as he snapped up at them.

"Well we were planning to," James shrugged.

"Oh," Peter nodded and said nothing else.

Out of the Fat Lady's portrait, they trekked the seventh floor of the castle looking for anything. Not much was one the seventh floor, apart from a tapestry of someone training trolls to be in the ballet.

So they moved down the castle. On the sixth floor, however, they uncovered a small passageway between the boy's bathroom and the marble staircase that led back up to the seventh floor.

"Great! Now I won't have to try to go down the regular stairs with the rest of Europe!" Peter grinned.

Fifth floor, fourth floor, third floor. They walked down the corridor. Peter was loosing his patience as to why it was taking them so long. James bit his look and sent a look to Sirius that said, "_Don't say a word_."

Sirius raised an eyebrow. "_What would I say_?"

James stared and shook his head. "_Just don't_." Sirius rolled his eyes and stopped at a statue.

"What's this, James?" he whispered. James shrugged.

"I don't know," James shrugged. Sirius walked around it.

"Hey look at this! It's got a cut out like a trapdoor or whatnot."

"And you would-" James began.

"-descend through it," Sirius finished with a grin. The two pointed their wands at the hump.

"Oh lovely, now you're finishing one another's sentences," Peter rolled his eyes.

"_Dissendium_," they both whispered. The witch's hump rose from the body, revealing a small hole big enough for one person at a time.

"Would you look at that," Sirius chuckled.

"Blimey, I think we found something," James stared at it.

"Come on, Jamie!" Sirius had begun to crawl into the hole.

"Yeah," Sirius saw James nod before falling into the hole a few feet below. His feet hit the ground and he looked around at darkness.

"_Lumos_," he said. The tunnel looked like it hadn't had too much care throughout the years. It was completely dug out of the rock and soil. Sirius worried of a possible cave in, but soon forgot with the arrival of James and Peter.

"How do you think this has stayed like this?" James asked.

"It's probably protected by magic," Peter shrugged and shivered.

"You're cold? You're the best insolated!" Sirius and James laughed.

"Oh, funny," Peter crossed his arms.

"Oh come on, Pete. You know we're just jokin', right?" Sirius put his arm around the smaller boy.

"Yeah," Peter answered in a inaudible tone.

"Good!" Sirius shouted. Although he knew Peter was in a foul mood, he wasn't going to press on with the conversation any longer. He would cheer up in Hogsmeade.

If that was where this led to.

"Onward, maties! AGR!"

"Not again," James rolled his eyes. The boys trekked the tunnel. They walked for thirty minutes before Sirius tripped on a stair and fell flat on his face.

"Oh, just call you Grace, then," James poked fun at him. Sirius looked up from the dirt with a sarcastic grin.

"I'll take that," James took Sirius's wand. "Don't want you to trip again and poke an eye out, do we?"

"Funny, Jamsie," Sirius stood up and brushed the dirt off.

James now led them up the flight of stairs. At the top, he felt a stone trapdoor. "Boys, I think this might be it."

"Just open it already," Sirius smirked. James grinned and pushed it away. He peeked his head out.

"So," Sirius replied impatiently. "What do you see?"

"Candy," James said. "Lots and lots of candy."

"Let me through!" Peter cried. James climbed the rest of the way out of the hole and helped short Peter up.

"Wowzers," Sirius heard Peter say. He lifted himself through the hole and looked around.

Boxes and shelves were covered with all candy assortments imaginable.

"Stock up, boys, 'cause it'll be gone in a week!" Sirius was the first to get over the inevitable shock of seeing all of the sweets and raced for a box of mints.

* * *

They hadfilled their pockets and hadleft through the trapdoor. James started with Sirius halfway through the tunnel. "Mints?"

"Yeah. You know, gotta have good breath for the ladies," Sirius raised his eyebrow in a way that would have sent girls running. James chuckled.

"Whatever, mate."

"You'll be sorry when I got a girl and you don't!" Sirius replied.

"Two or three at a time, you mean," James jested.

"Of course! Three is better than one," Sirius sent it back.

Silence fell over the three boys as they heard howling. "What was that?" Peter asked. Sirius saw his face illuminated by James's wand: his eyes bulged out of their sockets and his mouth hung wide open.

"I..." Sirius shook from the cold, "I don't know, but I don't like the sound of it. Let's keep going!"

"What if we run into it?" Peter said. "Sirius, I didn't like the sound of that!"

"Let's get out of here! Better not have it jump on us as sitting ducks!" James growled and walked in front of the two. Peter pulled his inhaler out of pocket and followed James, sucking on it for dear life. Sirius turned to take a look behind him before taking up the rear.

Before long they heard another howl. Peter gave a loud whimper and fell to the ground.

"Peter, get up! Come on!" James said, sounding urgent.

"I don't want to go anymore!" he cried.

"Peter, _we've got to get out of here_! Do you understand?" Sirius growled. Peter continued shaking his head.

"Look. It doesn't even sound like it's coming from the tunnel," James shook his head out of frustration.

"More to the right of us," Sirius finished.

"Peter, we've got to get out of here now!" James exclaimed. "Come on!" Peter slowly stood up against his will and followed closely behind James, muttering inaudible things the while.

There were no more howls as they made their way closer and closer to Hogwarts. They climbed out of the witch's hump, covered themselves with the invisibility cloak again, and set course for Gryffindor Tower. Thankfully, there were no signs of Filch or teachers.

"Dragon Breath," James muttered the password.

"Oh. What was that? I wasn't..." the Fat Lady rubbed her eyes as she woke from her slumber.

"Dragon Breath," he repeated.

"Very well," she swung open the portrait and they climbed through the hole. Once they were in the Common Room, they cast the cloak off. Sirius went for the couch in front of the fire, Peter took a chair. James collected the cloak and followed after them, taking a seat on the floor.

"How about that then?" Sirius laughed. "Let's look at our loot!"

"All right!" James grinned. They emptied their pockets onto the floor.

"All right!" Sirius repeated. "Peter! Lets see what you got!"

Peter didn't reply as his eyes stared at the dancing flames.

"Peter?" James asked.

"Peter, you okay?"

"What howls?" he asked.

"I don't know," James shrugged. "Wolves?"

"But there aren't any wolves in England, are there?" Sirius stared at Peter in shock. He had brought up a fine point.

"Technically, we're not in England," James shook his head.

"Yeah, I thought we were in Scotland," Sirius asserted. The took looked at each other.

"We're in Europe!" James said.

"Most definitely!" Sirius nodded.

"I think it was a werewolf," his eyes never left the fire.

James snorted. "A werewolf, Peter? Please. I thought we were all ready through this. There aren't any werewolves at Hogwarts."

"How do you know?" Sirius challenged. James rolled his eyes and stood up.

"Remus said so. And I don't know about you, but he's the only person I know of to have read _Hogwarts, A History_."

"Yeah, but he also claims his auntie died four different times."

"Sirius, this again?"

"Hey. What do you know? Maybe _he's_ the _werewolf_," Sirius grinned. The Common Room held no sound, apart from that of the crackle of the fire. Peter looked up with fright and James glared at him, shaking his head.

"No, Sirius," it was an unearthly stare, quite unlike him. "Don't you dare accuse him of that."

"I thought you had no prejudices?" Sirius raised his eyebrows. "Now you don't like werewolves?"

"Most werewolves aren't _good_ or _trustworthy_. He's caring, thoughtful, and friendly. He's the farthest thing from a werewolf I could think of," he replied. "And we hadn't rested on him being one. Sirius, that's bull."

"Suit yourself," he shrugged.

"Don't you dare go ask him that or I will be all over you," James retaliated.

"Fine," Sirius scooped up his candy and went up to their dorm alone.

* * *

**A/N- Harry Potter and friends and everything else you recognize do not belonging to me as they are the property and creations of J.K. Rowling. **


	22. The Dream

**Year Two: Chapter Twenty-One  
The Dream**

* * *

Still rewriting this chapter. Please wait patiently. Thank you!

* * *

"Checkmate! Ha! Beat you again!" Sirius shouted into James's face. James wiped his spit off of his face. 

"No fair! Everyone beats me! You're all cheating, I swear!" James complained.

"Throw a bludger at me, you just suck at it," Sirius sneered.

"I demand a replay!" James stood up. Sirius laughed.

"Alright, Jamsiekins. We'll play again, but you and everyone else already know what the results are gonna be," Sirius ended with a cough.

"Very funny. I forgot to laugh," James replied.

"You have to admit he is right, though. He's beaten you every single time," Peter added.

"So now your agreeing with the person who made you wet the bed," James snapped.

"Excuse me, but he poured water on my bed sheets," Peter said.

"Whatever, Peter, whatever," James shook his head.

"It's true! I haven't wet the bed since I was, like three!" Peter defended.

"So you admit it!" Sirius pointed his finger.

"Admit what!" he asked.

"That you wet the bed!" Sirius exclaimed.

"I just told you I don't!"

"But you did!"

"All toddlers do!"

"Exactly!"

"You know I think you might have had too many sweets last night, Sirius," Peter stated.

"Hey! And what's that suppose to mean, Peter!" Sirius inquired.

"It means-" Peter began, but soon stopped as his head turned to the corner in a flash when squeaking broke.

"Oh, for the love of.… Peter! Get the damn rat of yours!" Sirius ordered. Peter went over and picked up Wormtail.

"You know, you should pay a little more respect to him. 1972 is the year of the rat in China," Peter stated, stroking the shivering rat's head.

"But did we ask you? NO!" Sirius shouted. Wormtail squirmed in Peter's grasp.

"Ouch!" Peter dropped the rat who quickly scurried out of the room. He held up his bleeding finger. "He bit me. He bit me! Wormtail!" Peter hurried out of the room.

"Peter! Get back here!" Sirius shouted as he and James descended the staircase after him. "I swear, he could have gotten a cat or an owl or a toad, why a rat!" Sirius complained the whole way down the stairs.

"You know, Sirius, you should probably yell louder. I don't think the whole Common Room heard you," James shouted back at him, rolling his eyes. They had come down into the Gryffindor Common Room and saw Peter standing by the entrance to the girls' dormitories.

"What's the problem now!" Sirius asked.

"He ran up the stairs," Peter moaned.

"So, go get him," Sirius instructed, pushing Peter to the stairs.

"No, wait! You don't understand! These stairs-"

"Fine, I'll get him then!" Sirius started up.

"Um, Sirius, I don't think that's such a-" Peter commented, but Sirius ignored him and continued up anyway. However, he never made it up the stairs. When his foot touched the fifth step on the staircase, he felt it shake underneath him. Without warning, the stairs turned to a slant and Sirius fell down them like it was a huge slide.

"-good idea," Peter finished. Sirius looked up at him.

"Well no stinkin' duh," he said angrily, picking himself up from the ground.

"So how are we gonna get him?" James asked. He turned around and scanned through the Common Room.

"What the heck happened!" Sirius asked.

"When Hogwarts was originally constructed, the creators felt that boys were less trustworthy than girls," the three turned around to see a gaunt Remus trying his best to grin at their mistake.

"Where'd you come from? Were you watching the whole time!" Sirius squeaked, pointing wildly at him.

"I just got back," Remus replied. Sirius opened his mouth as if to say something, then shut it again.

"How'd ya know 'bout that!"

"Frankie told me," Peter remarked.

"I read it in _Hogwarts; A History_," Remus explained..

"Figures," Sirius muttered. "That is so not fair! I'm just as trustworthy as any girl here!" Sirius protested. Peter and Remus snorted.

"Don't even say anything, Peter, or I'll give you a knuckle sandwich for dinner tonight," Sirius threatened.

"I'd like to see you try," Remus replied.

"I'd like to see you stop me," Sirius spat.

"Oi! Evans! Oi!" James called out. A group of girls stopped laughing and all turned their heads to see the four.

"Go on!" one of them patted her on the back. She slowly stood up and walked toward them.

"Yes?" she asked.

"Hey, Evans, you think you could do us a favor?" James asked her.

"What is it?" she asked.

"Well, you see here, my friend, Peter...his rat ran up the stairs to the girls' dorm and as we are unworthy-"

"-un_trust_worthy," Sirius interrupted.

"-untrustworthy," James continued, "we were hoping you could lend us your services and retrieve him for us." Sirius snorted at James's formality. James turned around and stuck his tongue out at Sirius and then turned back to Evans. She rolled her eyes and went up the stairs.

"I don't get it. What's with girls? Is she going to get him or not?" James asked as if it were a throw away question.

"Girls are an entirely different animal, mate," Sirius patted him on the back. The door to the girls' dorm opened again and she came back down the stairs carrying something in her clutches.

"Is this it?" she opened her hand for Peter to see.

"Wormtail!" Peter's grin stretched from ear to ear. "Thank you!"

"Don't worry about it," she shrugged and went back to her study group.

"Now I'm really confused," Sirius scratched his head.

"Girls," James shook his head.

"And the scary thing is we might marry one," Peter added.

"Might? So we _might_ end up marrying a guy?" Sirius jested.

"Sirius! I didn't mean it like that!" Peter defended.

"So what's new?" Remus asked, breaking the fight.

"What do you mean?" James asked in turn. Remus shrugged. "Well, we found a way from the seventh floor to the sixth floor-"

"Yes. It's called the _staircase_. Maybe you never heard of it," Remus interrupted.

"No! Not that! Anyway, then we found a passageway to Hogsmeade-"

"What?" the goofiness in Remus's voice immediately left with a more serious and worried tone.

"Yeah. Under the one-eyed witch statue on the third floor," Sirius nodded.

"Oh," Remus sighed.

"Why? You seemed worried about something?" James asked. Remus shook his hand.

"Me? Worried? No, of course not," he shook his head and walked ahead of them.

"Right," Sirius nodded slowly. "Well, who wants a replay!"

"Me, Sirius Black!" James yelled.

"Then you'll have to beat me up the stairs!" Sirius ran for the stairs, closely followed by James and lastly, Peter.

Sirius won the game, of course.

* * *

Sirius groaned when he heard Remus's wheezing as he was having another bad dream. He sighed, slipped on his shoes, and walked over to Remus's bed.

"What's going on?" James asked.

"I don't know," Sirius shrugged in the dark. James also groaned and followed him.

"Oi, are you alright?" Sirius asked. Remus opened his eyes and breathed deeply.

"Mate, what's up?" James added. Remus shook his head.

"It keeps coming," he answered in a raspy voice.

"What's _it_?" James asked.

"It...it comes and just...and then I can't stop it..."

"What's going on?" James said again.

"I-I-"

"Wait," Sirius went to James's bed and pulled a hidden chocolate bar out from under it. "Maybe this'll help. You look real clammy-"

"I'm fine!" Remus interrupted, his voice coming out as a bit of a growl. "And you're not helping! I just need to be left alone!"

"Remus, this is the second time you've had a nightmare this year. There is something seriously wrong," Sirius said.

"Sirius," James scowled at his friend. "Let's go up to the Astronomy Tower. Get a breath of fresh air," he suggested.

"That won't help at all!" Remus protested.

"Oh I think it will!" Sirius replied, nodding. He and James picked Remus out of the bed and carried him to the door.

"You two...seriously, this is uncalled for!" he laughed.

"Shh," James chuckled as he opened the door quickly with a free hand, not letting his friend down.

"Let me down!" Remus laughed.

"No way!" Sirius replied. The two went through a tapestry of a lion that Peter had accidentally stumbled through the previous night and put Remus down. The passageway was too narrow for the three of them to go through it side by side.

"What is this?" Remus chuckled.

"Just walk up!" Sirius was sure James was grinning in the darkness. Remus started up and the two followed to the top.

"Now what?" he asked.

"There's a door," Sirius said. Remus turned the knob and went through.

"We are on the Astronomy Tower," he stared in amazement.

"Nice, isn't it?" James led the way out of the dark corner to out where the classes were held.

"This is..." Remus shivered. He walked over to the side of the castle tower and looked down.

"So what's up?" Sirius asked. James and him walked to stand beside him.

"Nothing, I'm fine," he said, not looking away from the Whomping Willow.

"Remus," James raised his eyebrow. Remus didn't return a reply for a minute.

"I keep seeing this...thing...and it's...a-attacking you all," he said, "and there's nothing I can do." He then grinned and looked up at the moon. "What a phobia, I'm telling you," he shook his head, turned around, and leaned on the wall.

"That's it?" Sirius grinned as well, but James didn't seem so easily satisfied.

"What's the cause of this nightmare?" he inquired. Remus sighed, but still wore a grin.

"I've really had friends before," he confessed. "I don't want to lose you guys, I suppose." The moon caught his eyes as he grinned at James and Sirius.

"You can't get rid of us that easily," Sirius chuckled, winking to James, who winked back.

"What's going on?" Remus hardly got the words out before the two boys leapt on top of him. "Stop! I'm ticklish!"

"Oh really?" James grinned as the three laughed into the darkness.

* * *

**A/N- Harry Potter and friends and everything else you recognize do not belonging to me as they are the property and creations of J.K. Rowling. **


	23. Quidditch Practice

**Year Two: Chapter Twenty-Two  
Quidditch Practice**

* * *

Still rewriting this chapter. Please wait patiently. Thank you!

* * *

"Mr. Black. Mr. Black," Professor Slughorn repeated as he rapped Sirius on the head with his measuring stick. Sirius looked around for the source before spotting the stout professor standing in the aisle. "I'm going to have to give you an hour of detention tonight, Mr. Black. Sleeping in the classroom is inexcusable." 

"Yeah," Sirius blinked and yawned.

"You will have exactly an hour to complete the assignment. You will work with the person to your right. You may begin," Slughorn returned to his desk and flipped an hourglass with a flick of his wand.

"Oi! Sirius!" a girl called from behind him. Slightly startled, he turned to address her.

"Oi."

"I'm sorry if I caught you off guard. We're working together," she stated. She was a very skinny girl with her brown hair pulled back and her shimmering blue eyes glowing.

"Oh," Sirius nodded. "Who are you?"

She grinned. "Topanga Ross, " she made a gesture to shake hands.

"Hello," Sirius accepted the offer. "So...what even is the project...potion...thingy?"

She giggled. "Swelling Solution."

"Fascinating," Sirius slowly nodded again as he leafed through the pages of his textbook. "Swelling Solution," he read, even though she had just stated that. "Sounds amazing."

She giggled again. The two worked on the potion - or rather the one: Topanga seemed more than pleased with getting to be partnered with Sirius and was doing the majority of the project, though Sirius would grab a piece of the roots of a tea plant and start to cut it into little slices when Slughorn would pass by. Finally, however, the insanity had to come to an end with Professor Slughorn telling everyone to quickly put a sample of his or her potion into a vial. Topanga and Sirius had down this already and collected their books into the bags for the last class of the day. In Sirius and James's case, it was Defense Against The Dark Arts.

And sure enough, James caught up with Sirius. "You blockhead! The first Quidditch practice is tonight!" Sirius stopped, frozen to the spot.

"Damn! It is!" he slapped himself on the forehead.

"Sirius! We're going to be late!" James called to Sirius, quickly releasing him from his coma. He ran to catch up with James.

"I'm really sorry, mate," Sirius moaned. "Didn't sleep enough last night." He blinked, remembering their previous flight to the Astronomy Tower.

"Whatever," James shook his head as they entered the Defense classroom. "You can always make it the next one." The two took their usual seats behind Remus and Peter.

"Don't mean to be nosy," Remus overheard and turned around to join in on the conversation, "but next what?"

"What?" James asked in the surprise equivalent to a deer caught in headlights.

"Next what?" Remus repeated.

"This idiot fell asleep in Slughorn's class," James stated grimly.

"What!" Sirius threw his hands up. "I thought you were over it! What about that 'Whatever, you can come to the next practice' thing!"

"Maybe you could get around it somehow," Peter said. Remus glanced over at him and then looked thoughtful.

"What are we goin' to do? Clone me!" Sirius exclaimed.

"Shh," James warned Sirius to keep his tone down. "There actually might be something..."

"What if he didn't have to _be_ there, but could still _see_ it," Remus pondered aloud.

"Huh?" Peter asked. Sirius, however, understood immediately understood.

"The two-way mirrors."

"Yeah, there you go," James nodded. "Sirius can watch it in his detention. He can watch it like he's there."

"How will he serve his detention then?" Peter asked.

"He ain't goin' to be watching the _entire_ practice, Peter. Only my parts," James replied. Remus gave a sarcastic grin as he rolled his eyes.

* * *

"I'm bored," James had finished preparing himself for the upcoming practice and was sitting on the chair in the Gryffindor Common Room. His head fell into his chest, but he quickly revived from this short fatigue ness by lifting his head again, yawning, and then blinking the sleep from his eyes.

"Really?" his best friend smirked. "I'm Sirius, pleased to meet you Bored!" Sirius grabbed James's arm - not hand, _arm_ - and violently shook it. James pulled it away for his own sake.

And quite possibly Sirius's as well.

"You're not _Serious_, believe me," James smirked at his pun. Sirius raised his eyebrow and shook his head as if James had seriously violated him.

"That joke belongs to me and me alone," Sirius gave a fake, but convincing, scowl. James laughed.

"What does the clock say, Sirius?" James asked, even though he could have easily looked for himself.

"Tick tick tick tick tick tick tick tick!" Sirius grinned, shortly followed by James who was laughing.

"Um...I'd guess around four thirty..." Remus remarked from behind his latest book, _Philosophy of the Mundane, The: Why Muggles Prefer Not to Know_ by Professor Mordicus Egg. James looked at the grandfather clock in the corner and it clearly read thirty-seven minutes after four.

"I hate it when you're right," James grumbled, causing Sirius to laugh. "My practice and your detention start in thirty-three, twenty-three-"

"Twenty-two," Sirius said as the thin, second arm passed twelve and continued to make it the rest of the way around the clock.

"Thanks, Professor Black," James rolled his eyes.

Remus put down his book, sat up, and stared at them with a fake, alarmed look in his eyes. "I thought I was the professor?"

"Shouldn't you two start for practice and stuff?" Peter asked. James rolled his eyes again, raised his eyebrow, and crossed his arms. Sirius stood beside him with his eyebrow up and a smug smile.

"Alright, Mother, I'll get on that," James sassed.

"Will you wash my socks while I'm gone, Mum? Hand wash only," Sirius slipped his shoe off and stuck a bright green sock in Peter's face as he said this. Peter backed away and held his nose.

"Fine, be late. Just get that sock outta my face!" Peter pleaded with what sounded like a congested head. James laughed at Peter and then at Sirius who was hopping up and down as he tried to slip his sock back onto his foot.

"Wanna sit down?" James asked. Sirius grinned sarcastically and made to sit down on the footstool before the chair, but James pulled out his wand first and with a quick and efficient "_Accio footstool_", the piece of furniture went flying out from under Sirius and into James's self, knocking him clear off of his chair with its force. Sirius as well was brought down to the floor with a thud.

Remus and Peter laughed ecstatically at this backfire of a James's spell and Sirius's gullibility of falling for the trick. James's arms appeared on the arm of the red chair first before they lifted the rest of his dazed body up from the floor. He shook his head and saw Sirius sitting indian-style on the floor where the footstool had originally been with a menacing gleam in his eyes. He slowly nodded his head and gave a small grin. "You are gonna get it so bad when I'm through with you, Potter..." Sirius mischievously said.

"You shoulda seen your face!" Remus wheezed for air as he completely forgot about correct grammar.

"Watch it, Lupin, or you're gonna get it, too," Sirius threatened.

* * *

"You are to chip these cauldrons apart, Mr. Black. Without magic, this will be your wand," Professor Slughorn added, handing Sirius a common file. "Happens a first year concocted a very powerful potion that would bind them together when it spilled out of a hole in the bottom," Slughorn clicked his tongue against the roof of his mouth. "But that happens," he clapped his hands together. "Well, best to start, 'ey?"

"Aye," Sirius gave a less than enthusiastic response as the chubby professor left for his office. He picked up the file and after examining it for a minute, pulled a pair of cauldrons out of the pile, sat on the dungeon floor, and began to chisel away at the giant pots. He did the same routine on the two for the next five minutes before, looking carefully around that no one was coming, pulling out his two way mirror. "James," he softly said into it. Nothing happened and he supposed it was because he would have to add a last name. "James Potter." Still nothing. How was he suppose to support James and watch the practice if he couldn't pick anything up? But then...

James would be on his broomstick now, unable to be holding the mirror as well as try to play Quidditch. Remus or Peter must have the mirror if anything. "Remus Lupin?" Sirius talked to the mirror. It shone a bit until Remus's tired but excited face appeared in it.

"There you are! I didn't want to try to catch you in case I caught you at a bad time," Remus explained. Sirius heard a "Tell him I say hi!" in the background from Peter. He rolled his eyes.

"Hey Peter," Sirius sighed. "Lets see him then, Remey." Remus made sure that Sirius saw him roll his eyes in dislike into the mirror before putting the mirror up into the air.

"See 'im?" he asked.

"Try a bit to the left," Sirius suggested.

And sure enough there was James on his broom. He was punching into his left hand with his right until the Quaffle came to his possession and he raced down the court. Unfortunately, Remus didn't.

"Right, Remus, Right!" It worked and Sirius watched James make an perfect pass to other Chaser Brandy Benson who marked it through the middle ring.

"YES!" Sirius cheered. Remus pulled the mirror away from the practice.

"Sirius, it's only a practice. It's not the World Cup."

"You just don't like Quidditch that much," Sirius defended himself.

"Call back in another fifteen minutes or so. That doesn't mean fifteen seconds. That is _minutes_," Remus instructed.

"I got it," Sirius replied. Remus left the mirror and the image went back to Sirius looking into it. He tucked it back into his pocket and started to saw at the cauldrons again, pleased with James's success on the Quidditch team.

* * *

**A/N- Harry Potter and friends and everything else you recognize do not belonging to me as they are the property and creations of J.K. Rowling. **


	24. The Black Legacy

**Year Two: Chapter Twenty-Three  
The Black Legacy**

* * *

Still rewriting this chapter. Please wait patiently. Thank you!

* * *

The four were seated at the Gryffindor table for Saturday breakfast, though Sirius was the only one eating. James was carelessly stirring his oatmeal around with his spoon, Peter was almost sleeping in his, and Remus was mindlessly staring off at who knew what. 

"Come on, you guys. Cheer up! It wasn't that bad," Sirius grinned and took a sip of his orange juice. "BLECH!" he spit out some of it onto his napkin. "Tastes like orange and grapefruit. What have those elves been up to?" He put his glass down, stuck his tongue out once more, and shook his fist at the floor.

"Can't be," James picked up his glass and tried the drink as well, spitting it out onto his napkin as well. "Merlin's beard, what is in that!" He picked the glass up and examined the drink left in it, flinched, and set it down again.

"Come on, Peter. Wake up!" Sirius banged his fist on the table.

"Hey!" a girl from down the table yelled up at him as he made her glass turn over and onto her lap.

"Sorry," Sirius gave her a small wave.

James sighed and said in a very monotone way, "Russia's on fire."

"Okay, tha nice," Peter snorted.

"Come on! Wake up!" Sirius exclaimed. "What are you guys here for!"

Remus seemed to come out of his trance. "You woke us up on a Saturday morning saying that you wanted to spend time with us, dragged us down here in our pajamas, and have been annoying us for God knows how long anymore."

"Well when you say it like that," Sirius stated.

"Yeah," James nodded. "Especially after a night of detention with Filch." Remus moaned.

"I don't see how what we did was so bad," Sirius shrugged. "Besides, we have another one tonight, so what's the problem."

"You're use to it anymore," Remus argued. "It's like routine for you."

"So I haven't racked up my fair share of detentions?" James attacked.

"No, he's just saying I'm doing a better job of it," Sirius smirked.

"Now you're defending him!" James squeaked in amazement.

Remus threw his hand up in the air. "I'm not defending anyone! I'm going back to bed!" he stood up to walk away, but Sirius grabbed the back of his shirt and easily pulled him back to his seat.

"I bet you by the end of our seventh year that I'll get more detentions than you," James said.

"Fine, but what will you have to do, though, when I win?" Sirius grinned deviously.

"You win! On no, it's going to be _me _that beats _you_," James stood up and pointed his finger in Sirius's face.

"Get away from me," Sirius brushed James's hand away. "Look, loser, as in you, has to run through the Great Hall...naked."

"You have a sick mind, Black," James then put his hand over the table and Sirius shook it. "Deal."

"Remus, what's with the face?" Sirius questioned. "Do you want to join us, too?"

Remus blinked. "Uh...no, I'm just gonna let you have fun..." Sirius shrugged, "Fine, suit yourself."

"I'm going back to bed," Remus stood up again. "Goodnight!"

"Not goodnight. Mail," Sirius pointed up.

"Lovely," he sat back down again.

"I got a letter!" Sirius picked it from his plate, wiped the oatmeal off of it, and unfolded the paper:

_Sirius, meet me a the Astronomy Tower. Now. _

"Oi! Sirius!" James called as Sirius read the note a second time.

"I've got to go, James," Sirius stood up.

"Huh?"

"Astronomy Tower," Sirius shrugged. "I'll meet you guys later." He walked away from the trio and out of the Great Hall's giant oak doors. He climbed the stairs to the Gryffindor Tower and, once there, checked to see if no one else was around so he could enter the secret passageway behind the tapestry.

When he went inside, it was pitch black, so with a simple "Lumos," he started his way up the thin flight of stairs.

As he came to the top, he turned the doorknob and opened the door. "Hello?" he called out, looking around him before closing the door. He turned to his left, looked around the corner, and called out again before turning around again-

-straight into his older cousin Bellatrix Black. Her jet-black hair fell over her shoulder as she pointed her wand right between Sirius's eyes.

"What are you doing here?" Sirius snapped.

"Who do you think sent you the letter?" she sneered right back at him. "I'm afraid you just don't understand."

But Sirius understood exactly what she was saying. But to play with her mind some more…

"Understand what?" he asked.

"Don't play ignorant," she grabbed him by the shoulders and slammed him into the side of the tower wall. "Auntie wrote for me to talk to you! You are not to associate with the traitorous Potter and the rest of his scum of friends-"

"Don't you say that about them," Sirius glared.

She laughed in an evil, maniacal way, returning her wand to his forehead. "You are a Black. A pure-blood. They don't understand you: they're just Gryffindors. They don't care about you, they don't understand-"

"You're wrong!" Sirius yelled, causing her to laugh even harder.

"You belong with your family in Slytherin-"

"James, Remus, and Peter are my family! Not you skunk bait!"

"I've heard the older Gryffindors talking, Siri," she gave him a bit of a nickname, making him even more angry. "They don't think it's right. Having a pure-blooded Black in Gryffindor," she gave a devilish grin again. "There are plenty of Slytherins who would be pleased to be your friends. I'm sure you'd get along with Severus. He's about you age."

"Snivellus is a slimy git!"

"If you don't watch your tongue, I'll write to your mother!" she threatened, but Sirius smirked.

"You probably will anyways."

"Don't make me-" she jabbed her wand into his forehead; it was touching his skin now.

"You wouldn't dare," he looked her straight in the eyes, continuing to smirk.

"Oh wouldn't I?"

"Not under Dumbledore's nose!" She roared at him in outrage, grabbed him by the shoulders again, and threw him down on the floor.

"Don't speak that way to me! They'll betray you! They'll abandon you once they're through using you!" she was screaming down at him now. He looked up at her, his eyes blazing.

"You don't care about my well-being! You don't care at all!" he was the one screaming now. His hands were in balled fists and his forehead was covered in sweat and blood from its hit against the cold stone. "You're only doing this because your Auntie put you up to it! You have no backbone! You're just a stupid bloody bitch!"

She slapped him and slapped his hard across the cheek. Her long fingernails drew blood where she had struck him. "Never call me that again!"

Despite the sweat that now seemed to be covering his entire body like a blanket and his now stinging cheek, he couldn't resist to give her another cheek, and in turn earn another strike on the cheek.

"You stupid bloody bitch," this time he hissed it out. And she dished out the punishment he had anticipated before he had done so, including grabbing him and throwing him onto the stone floor again.

Sirius stared up at her one last time. She was so much like his mother, it was unthinkable that she could be anyone else's daughter. Their personalities, the way they acted, and even their appearances mirrored one another. Indeed, he wouldn't have been surprised if she were his mother's daughter instead of his aunt's, but his father's sister-in-law was a piece of work as well. And all of them were bitches.

"What's goin' on up there?" the croaky voice of Filch was heard not too far away. Bellatrix turned her head in the direction he was coming and then back at Sirius with another sneer plastered onto her face.

"You can't escape your destiny, Sirius. You're a Black, through and through," she smirked at him one more time before running away from the coming caretaker.

And Sirius knew he had to get away, too. As he coughed, he stood up again and raced for the door as quickly as he could. He swung it open and practically threw himself inside to escape running into Filch. He leaned against the door to catch his breath and gather his thoughts, but before he could do so, he heard the faint cries of Mrs. Norris outside the door. The cat knew where he was and Filch would find out soon enough. With no time to think, he started to bolt his way down the stairs as quickly as he could manage in the pitch dark.

He had to have been between a quarter of the way down and half way down when he heard the door creak open. He almost froze to his place, but realized that, as Filch probably wouldn't catch him, Mrs. Norris would.

He continued to run down, praying for the passage to open up. He could hear Mrs. Norris's padded feet coming down the stairs after him; it had to open soon!

And it did. Faster than he had anticipated. He went stumbling through the tapestry, rolled out quickly and hard, and went crashing into the wall across from the tapestry like a bowling ball would hit ten pins for a strike. Only the pins didn't fall over.

Sirius immediately grasped his head in aching pain and stumbled the rest of the way into his dormitory that, thankfully, no one else was in. He locked himself in the bathroom until he was sure Filch was gone.

* * *

Sirius never knew how much time he had spent in the bathroom. By the way it looked outside, he would have guessed three, maybe four hours. The three had returned to the dorm and had done everything from Wizard's Chess to sleeping. However, when the coast was clear and everyone was out of the dormitory, he crept out, his injuries washed and the only signs left of them were small scars. He slunk out of the Common Room, went down the stairs again, and soon found himself throwing stones into the Great Lake.

He didn't believe he had ever been in a worse mood in his life. Who was Bellatrix to tell him where he belonged and who he should be friends with? It was none of her business! What did she know about him! She didn't even care!

And it was his destiny! All he knew right now was that his destiny was almost to get caught by Filch in their secret tunnel.

But she was right that he was a Black and if he didn't do something quickly, it might be his destiny.

"Oi! You alright?" Remus asked. Sirius didn't reply at first. He skipped a pebble across the lake.

"What do you want Remus?" he returned in a icy tone.

"Well I was just walking by," Remus replied. "Of course, I can keep walking."

"I don't care," Sirius snapped. He heard Remus's footsteps and then, much to his surprise, saw him sit down beside him.

"So I see no one tried to kidnap you," he said.

"Far from it," Sirius continued to throw and skip stone after stone. Remus watched him for a little while before speaking again.

"Want to talk about it?" he asked.

"Not really," he skipped another almost halfway across the lake.

Remus picked up a stone as well and looked it over before trying to skip it as well, though he only managed a plop. With a small look of discouragement and frustration on his face, he picked up a handful, and tried to toss each one of them, but failed at every try.

Sirius snorted a bit and shook his head. "You know, you really are hopeless." Remus laughed and shrugged before trying again, but once again with no success.

"Is that the best you can do?" Sirius started to grin as he teased him.

"Hush up!" he laughed playfully back at Sirius.

"No, you see you're doing it all wrong! You're throwing like a girl! You've got to do it like this!" Sirius demonstrated, skipping one halfway across the lake. "You've got to put a little elbow grease into it!"

"'ll right," he tried Sirius's version of skipping a stone and it went a little farther than his previous throws.

"Better," Sirius nodded. He wasn't afraid of Bellatrix's comments about his friends at all anymore. In fact, if they were using him, they sure were great actors. "But I bet you can't skim one!" Sirius picked a pebble off of the ground and beautifully skimmed it across the lake's surface. Remus did the same, only his traveled father than Sirius's.

"Whatever," Sirius waved it off. "You still throw like a girl."

He laughed once more. "Well I'm sorry to be the one to ruin our fun but we have a detention in fifteen minutes."

"Oh yeah," Sirius replied a bit coldly again.

"Filch is busy with some third years now though, so we're suppose to go to Hagrid's for detention."

"Alright," Sirius said as he and Remus stood up and started for Hagrid's hut.

Sirius didn't say anything for the majority of the walk, though as they drew closer to the hut, he still wanted to ask something.

"Remus, do you believe in destiny?" he asked.

"Uh…yes," he looked at Sirius.

"Do you think you can escape your destiny?" Sirius thought back on Bellatrix's words.

"I suppose it depends," he shrugged.

Sirius's brow knitted together. "On what?"

Remus shrugged again. "On whether you want to or not." He looked up at Sirius with tired eyes and almost seemed to force his grin. Sirius chuckled and put his arm around his shoulder until Hagrid greeted them.

"'ello there!" Hagrid came out from behind his hut waving to the them.

"Oi!" Sirius pulled his arm off of Remus's shoulder and waved back to Hagrid enthusiastically.

"Hello, Hagrid," Remus nodded and yawned.

"So where are the other two troublemakers?" Hagrid teased.

"Who? James and Peter? I think they're skiving off this one, sir," Sirius lied.

"Don't tell lies. I won't be hearin' none o' that. And it's 'agrid," Hagrid corrected.

"Sorry we're late, Hagrid!" James ran up to them from the direction of the Quidditch Pitch. "I lost track of time!" Peter closely followed him, panting to keep up.

"Tha's all righ'," Hagrid replied when James stood beside Sirius and Remus. "You're ere now, righ'?"

Peter caught up and was wheezing for air. He pulled his inhaler out of his pocket.

"Now as I was told, you are to serve your detention with me," Hagrid began, "Now I'll need one of you lot to help me roun' 'ere. Pre'fably som'ne good on a broomstick-"

"James," Sirius, Remus, and Peter said unanimously.

"'llright. James, you'll 'elp me. There 'ave been swarms of Chizpurfles tor'ing the Fwoopers I've been keeping' roun' 'ere. You'll need to cas' Silencing Charms on them 'course, but they shouldn't be too 'ard for ya," Hagrid patted him on the back once, knocking the air out of him, and then a second time, knocking him down to the ground.

"Oh. Sorry 'bout tha'," Hagrid picked him back up with his enormous hand.

"Thanks," James brushed the dirt off of his clothes.

"Now…can any of you lot see threstals? Got five tied up tha' need washin'," Hagrid pointed into the forest. The four looked around him and into the forest. When Sirius squinted, he saw ropes tied around trees. The ropes were then clipped to collars that seemed to be floating in midair.

"I can't," Sirius said.

"You can only see 'em if you saw som'ne else die," Hagrid stated. Sirius looked over at James, who shook his head.

"I-I can see them, Hagrid," Remus replied.

"Wonderful! Well not really…" Hagrid trailed off for a few seconds. "Well then, you three are to wash them. Remus 'ere will tell you where they are. There're buckets 'n soap inside 'already, you can go ou' back an' fill the buckets with water from the rain barrels. Well, off ya go! This way, James." Hagrid walked in the direction opposite from the threstals.

James followed him. With a small wave and a nod, he said, "See you later."

The three went inside the hut. Fang bolted toward them, but instead of knocking Remus down like he had been doing, he just licked his hand.

"Someone has a friend," Sirius laughed to Peter as he picked up one of the buckets. Remus rolled his eyes and pet Fang on head before collecting his bucket. Peter followed them with his own as well.

They easily found the rain barrels, filled them with water, and walked toward where the threstals were. When they got there, all it seemed to Sirius was ropes moving on their own accord.

"Alright, where are they?" Sirius asked Remus.

"This is its head," he patted the air. "And this is the rest of its body," he ran his hand down. "It looks a bit like a horse, so keep that in mind and you shouldn't do too bad."

The three slowly gathered around it, Sirius and Peter slower than Remus, and began washing it.

"Ready?" Remus asked.

"I suppose," Sirius shrugged. They began washing the threstal, and when Remus said they were done, moved onto the next ones.

"You can see these?" Peter asked.

"Yeah," Remus nodded.

"Who did you see die? If you don't mind…" Sirius added. Remus didn't answer at first.

"My father died when I was eight," Remus admitted.

"Oh," Peter apologized. "I'm sorry."

Remus shrugged. "It's alright. It was a while ago."

They cleaned the last of the threstals and met up with James outside of Hagrid's hut. The sun had gone down and the moon had come up as they walked up to the castle.

"Earlier today, when you got that letter...what was that about?" James asked.

"I don't want to talk about it," Sirius stated.

"What happened?" James asked again. Before Sirius could respond, Remus made sure that James saw him shake his head and put his finger over his mouth. James sighed and they went the rest of the way up to the castle.

Sirius yawned upon entering the dormitory. Frank moaned in his bed.

"Shh," Remus whispered.

"Turn on a light, I can't see a thing," Sirius complained.

"Shh! It'll only take a second!" James stumbled through the darkness, managing to trip over a pile of clothes Sirius's had lying out in the middle of the floor. "Sirius! You blockhead!" James rasped.

"Would you all be quiet!" Frank yelled from his bed.

"We'll be out of here in a sec. Turn on the lights, Sirius, he's awake already," James instructed Sirius, who lit a small candle with his wand. Frank moaned again and James went over to his trunk. But something had rolled out of Sirius's pile of clothes, probably from his pants' pocket: "What is that?" Remus asked as Sirius handed him the candle. He and Peter followed shortly after Sirius, who bent down and picked it up.

"It's your...acutuscope?" Peter stared at it. It was a certainly the same tiny orb Sirius had received for Christmas the previous year from Peter, only now it was shaking violently and had swirling red smoke inside.

"Alright, who's carrying the dragon eggs?" James tried to make them laugh as he stood next to Sirius.

"What?" Remus asked again. It started to shake more violently and Sirius had to keep to both hands on it to prevent it from falling to the floor and shattering.

"It tells you if there's anything dangerous around," James explained to Remus as he started to back away from Sirius and the acutuscope.

"We're all gonna die!" Peter screamed, putting his arms over his and falling down to the floor in a sort of fetal position. Remus looked down at him, his face as pale as a ghost and the candle shaking dangerously in his hand.

"Get rid of that Sirius!" Remus exclaimed. Sirius looked back at him with just as much worry on his face.

"What's going on?" Frank pulled apart the curtain from his bed.

"Seriously, that is not funny, Sirius!" James shouted at him.

"You think this a prank?" Sirius choked.

"Remus turn on a brighter light! Sirius, put that thing down! Peter...get off of the floor!" James stated. Remus went to the other candles and Sirius laid the acutuscope on his bed.

"Bossy, bossy!" Sirius looked back at James.

"Remus, it isn't bright enough! Go down to the Common Room and grab some more candles," James said. Remus gave a small nod and left. "Peter, get off of the floor!"

"What?" Frank asked.

"It's an acutuscope. It tells you if there is something dangerous around," Sirius explained, inching away from it himself.

Frank stared at him. "Well check the floors or something! That thing could spring out at any time!"

"I don't want to look under my bed and have it spring out at my face!"

"Hey look! It's not shaking as much!" James looked down at the acutuscope. True, the shaking had definitely died down and the smoke had turned to an orangish red.

"Whatever it was must have left," Sirius looked around at the floor.

"We should tell Professor McGonagall," Frank said.

"Yeah," James nodded.

"Uh...don't look now but it's starting up again!" Peter squeaked.Sirius didn't even want to look at it.

"I found some more candles," Remus came back into the room.

"We have to go see McGonagall," James grabbed Sirius's acutuscope and ran for the door out of the dorm.

"James, I'm afraid you forgot that we have no clue where her office is," Remus called back for him. He pivoted on his foot.

"Uh…then we'll just tell the Heads or the Prefects," James ran out of the door, closely followed by Sirius and Frank while Remus and Peter took behind them. James stopped at the first door he saw and started to pound on it. "Get out! Hurry! There's something in Gryffindor Tower!" he shouted. The four stared at him in shock. He turned around to them and yelled, "Well don't just stand there! Wake people up!" They all slowly nodded and ran off to the other doors.

In hardly any time at all, the Gryffindor Common Room was filled with angry and confused boys. The girls began to arrive, too, from all of the rumbling below them, rubbing their weary eyes and pulling on their bed robes that they had hastily put on.

Professor McGonagall stepped through the Fat Lady's portrait, her hair a disheveled mess on her head. "What is going on here?" she asked Peter, who had been standing nearest to her. He stammered indecisively and pointed a shaking hand to James and Sirius. James handed her the orb.

"That's Sirius's acutuscope-" James began.

"I'm very much aware of what it is, Mr. Potter," McGonagall said. "When did it start-"

"When we got back from our detention…" Sirius interrupted.

"Around 11:00, professor," James added.

She stared down at the orb for quite some time before looking up again. "Everyone needs to follow me down to Great Hall," she said. "Immediately," she added. The Gryffindors followed her down a dimly lit corridor until they reached the Great Hall. She put the Head Boy and Girl in charge while she went back up to talk to Dumbledore.

"What's going on?"

"Very funny, Potter!"

"Are we gonna stay down here?"

Sirius heard the comments of the students nearest to them. He tried to ignore them and looked up to the midnight sky in the ceiling instead and attempted to count as many stars as he could to pass the time.

McGonagall and Dumbledore came back and told them that they would be spending the night in the Great Hall. Dumbledore conjured more than one hundred sleeping bags out of thin air to accommodate for them all. The prefects and the Heads were to swap positions during the night and keep a close watch that everyone was sleeping.

Sirius quickly ran and reserved four sleeping bags together for them and each took one. He laid down in one across from James and beside Peter.

"What'd you think it was up there?" James asked. Peter shrugged.

"It didn't think it would have been serious enough to have us all sleep in the Great Hall," Sirius stated.

"Well if it's that dangerous they'd want you away," Remus stated.

"What do you think it was?" Peter asked.

"You four; be quiet! There are people trying to sleep!" the Head Boy walked past their sleeping bags.

"Something small; we couldn't see anything," Sirius said in a more hushed tone. James sighed and rolled over onto his back.

"That's just what bugs me," James sighed and took off his glasses. Remus shrugged on more time before tucking into his sleeping bag as well.

Sirius turned to Peter beside him, who was staring up at him with his bright blue eyes. Sirius looked up to the ceiling and focused on the almost full moon that was lighting up the entire Great Hall.

"Yeah, something like that," he sighed as well before trying to fall asleep.

* * *

**A/N- Harry Potter and friends and everything else you recognize do not belonging to me as they are the property and creations of J.K. Rowling. **


	25. James's First Quidditch Match

**Year Two: Chapter Twenty-Four  
James's First Quidditch Match**

* * *

Still rewriting this chapter. Please wait patiently. Thank you!

* * *

After the teachers had found nothing in Gryffindor Tower to be terribly concerned about, the students were permitted back in their Common Room around noon. Sirius and James immediately crashed and slept in for at least another four or five hours. They had hardly slept in the Great Hall; they were too concerned with what was happening. When Sirius woke up, he found that James was in the bathroom taking a shower for his upcoming Quidditch game and Peter was sitting on the floor to complete their latest Defense Against The Dark Arts essay. Remus had left before they had been allowed back to Gryffindor Tower to visit his sick mother. 

"Oi," he grinned down at Peter.

Peter grinned. "Mornin'!"

Sirius yawned. "I'm goin' back to bed."

"Goodnight," Peter replied.

Sirius walked back over to his bed, opened his trunk, pulled out a blue shirt and tacky pants, and began to change out of his pajamas.

He had gotten the shirt on when they heard a sick sound coming from the bathroom. The two looked curiously at the closed door. "James?" Peter walked up to the door and rapped it. "Are you alright?"

Sirius pulled up his pants and stood behind him. "James, what's up?" he asked. When they heard a moan, he proceeded to open the door.

"James!" Sirius yelped in a worried tone. James was keeled over the toilet and was as pale as a ghost. Sirius raced to him and knelt down beside him. "What's wrong?"

James looked up at the two with a sick look on his face. "I-I-the Quidditch game...today...can't do it..." James's voice was raspy before he turned to the toilet again. Peter stepped further into the bathroom but stopped at the sink.

"James, you're too good to worry about doing bad. Relax. It'll be fine," Sirius rubbed James on the back hoping to calm him down.

"Is he gonna be okay?" Peter asked.

Sirius looked up at him and nodded. "I think so." The color was coming back into James's cheeks and his breathing had returned to normal.

"Thanks," he slowly stood up and tried to smile at them.

"Good, because you've got to get ready," Sirius grinned at him. "So when exactly do you have to go down for the game?"

"In thirty more minutes," he moaned.

"Best to get our essays over and done with. They're due on Tuesday anyway," Sirius shrugged.

"Right," James moaned, taking out his textbook. Sirius sighed and looked up from his textbook. Remus leaving again was still rattling his brain.

"It's obvious he's not visiting his mother, James," Sirius said.

"What?" James asked.

"Remus."

"I know but it's not like we can prove it," James sighed.

"Peter, hand me your calendar. There must be some connection," Sirius took the calendar from Peter.

"A connection?" James snorted. "Like what?"

"I don't know. Anything," Sirius concluded, paging through the calendar. "I mean it's just not normal. People don't disappear once a month."

"Why would he feel like he would need to lie to us? Aren't we his friends?"

"Maybe need, maybe _want_," Sirius shrugged. "But both you and I met his mother on the platform last year and she looked in great health. Much better than Remus looks half the time," he added.

"What are you getting at, Sirius?" Peter asked.

"That's it, I don't know. I say we record stuff that happens and go from there," Sirius suggested.

"What if he's telling the truth?" James said.

"If he is, we'll leave him alone. I think there're too many circumstances pointing against it, though."

"You think he gets outside help with his homework? He does seem awful smart," Peter said.

"We only had this Defense essay to complete by Tuesday and he's been done with it for three days now," Sirius stated. Peter nodded and looked out the window were a heavy storm was surrounding the castle.

"Maybe he doesn't like rain," Peter pondered.

"Oh, then maybe he should move to the Sahara Desert," Sirius remarked sarcastically. "Fine, give me some parchment."

"Why?"

"I'm going to record symptoms, that's why!" Sirius exclaimed. Peter grumbled and handed him a spare sheet of parchment which he immediately began to cover in notes.

"Full moon?" James said as he read over Sirius's shoulder. "What does that have to do with anything?"

"I don't know, but we don't have much more," Sirius shrugged.

"Well if you two are quite finished playing detective, we have an essay to write. Choose to help?" James asked.

"Yeah, yeah," Sirius complained. He opened his trunk and tucked the notes underneath some clothing. Glowering some more, he allowed his quill to return to his essay paper, though his mind was still running off on other things.

* * *

"A wonderful afternoon for a Quidditch game, don't you think, professor?" Jeff Peterson, now a sixth year Ravenclaw, was doing the commentary again. The entire school stood anxiously on its feet in the stands. It was a cool fall day and colorful leaves were blowing from the trees of the Forbidden Forest.

"Introduce the players, Peterson," Sirius heard the severe voice of Professor McGonagall over the crowd.

Peterson loudly cleared his throat into the microphone - "Sorry!" - and continued. "Today's match is between Gryffindor-" the Gryffindors and Hufflepuffs cheered, wearing bright gold and red, "-and Ravenclaw!" The Ravenclaws and Slytherins were decked in the team's signature colors of blue and bronze. "And here they come now! On Ravenclaw's team, there's team Captain and Seeker Minty Cobstone, Keeper Elden Ainsworth, Chasers Avariella Reeves, Hardy Mildmay, and Warrick Johnson, and Beaters Jedrick Livermore and Everett Valevine!" The team mounted onto the brooms on cue to the crowd's overwhelming screams and flew out onto the court.

"And here's Gryffindor! Team Captain and Keeper, Jerry Terry, Beaters Gabby Whimcot and Monty Thierheimer, Chasers Brandy Benson, James Potter-" Sirius didn't even hear Lydia Newman or Katie Flynn's names being called; he had started to yell for James the moment he heard his name. He saw Terry pat James on the back before taking off with the rest of the team. James was the last to kick off. The Gryffindor team had a minute to fly around before going back down to the ground with the Ravenclaw team to talk to Madam Hooch.

"Now she's telling them they're not allowed to kill each other or anything like that...she's throwing up the Quaffle...and the game begins!" Everyone other than the six Chasers flew to their designated posts.

"What do you see?" Sirius pleaded to Peter who was watching the match through his binoculars.

"Reeves-" he began, but Sirius saw.

"Broken out from the brawl for the Quaffle, Ravenclaw's Avariella Reeves has the ball and is headed for Terry at Gryffindor's goals!"

She flew toward the goalpost. Whimcot tried to knock her off course with a Bludger, but missed when she ducked it. She made it to Terry-

"Goal! Ravenclaw!" Peterson yelled.

"Come on, Gryffindor!" Sirius stomped his foot. Terry threw the Quaffle back in and it was caught by Lydia Newman.

"And it's Gryffindor with the Quaffle, going for Ainsworth! Newman passes to Benson! Benson passes to Potter! Potter passes back to Newman! Newman flies into the scoring area, and it's saved!" Yells and curses were heard from the Gryffindor side, but the Ravenclaws kept cheering.

"And the Quaffle is back in! And Johnson - no, Potter! has it!"

James had cupped the Quaffle in his arms just feet away from Johnson. "Potter passes to Benson who passes it back. He goes in for a goal - and it goes in." Ainsworth threw it for Johnson again. He and the other two Ravenclaw Chasers flew for Terry, passing the Quaffle back and forth among themselves. Johnson flew into the scoring area, closely followed by Reeves with the Quaffle.

"And Johnson and Reeves are passing the Quaffle back and forth. Reeves drops it and...ugh...Mildmay caught it..."

"Stooging! Stooging!" Sirius shouted: stooging happened when all of the Chasers were in the scoring area and was punishable as a foul. Sure enough, Gryffindor was given a chance to score a goal in Ravenclaw's goal post, and made it.

"Time out!" Ravenclaw Captain Minty Cobstone shouted down to Madam Houch. The two teams flew down to the ground for five minutes before coming back up. James didn't have the nervous face that he had had on that morning. Quite the contrary.

"Madam Hooch is releasing the Quaffle again. And Potter gets it again!" Peterson yelled above the stadium.

"Oi, Sirius! Look!" Peter, jumping up and down with excitement, was pointing up in the sky.

"Don't wet yourself, Peter," Sirius laughed, looking up as well. But he didn't see anything. "Let me see those!" Sirius laughed as he went to grab the binoculars from Peter, who held them tighter yet.

"No!" he laughed as well. The two, laughing and sorts, fought with the binoculars like two starved dogs fighting for a piece of meat -

Until they fell over the edge and toward the people below them. They looked over the ledge: people were looking around amongst themselves and a few were looking up, though Sirius and Peter weren't the only ones looking down. They exchanged a glance and stood upright once again.

"So, Mr. Pettigrew, where would one find a pair of those binoculars?" Sirius talked in the most dignified voice he could muster up.

Peter played along. "Oh, the nearest shop in Hogsmeade. Usually for seven or so sickles, Mr. Black. Why, are you interested in a pair?"

"Quite so, Mr. Pettigrew. I supposed I should be the one to replace the pair you lost."

"Splendid assumption, Mr. Black!" Peter lost all formalities then and began laughing and wheezing more than he was breathing. Sirius, grinning as well, grabbed him and gave him an affectionate noogie. Peter Pettigrew was like the younger brother Regulus had never been to him, that's what he finally decided.

"And the Snitch is caught by Katie Flynn. Gryffindor wins 170 to 10," Peterson announced the end of the match.

Sirius laughed again. "So that's what you saw! The Snitch!"

"Snitch?" Peter raised an eyebrow. "Nah, I saw a Meadow Pipit flying up there in the trees-"

"Peter," Sirius began.

"Yeah?"

"I'll give you a five second start."

"Five second? What do you-"

"One," Sirius began, making Peter run away immediately. Sirius started after him almost then, not waiting until he reached five.

"James!" Peter ran for James who was still standing with the Quidditch team. But he never stopped until he ran into Gabby and fell down. Gabby looked down at him, completely unmoved.

"Oi! Congrats-" Sirius started, but a throng of people came down from the stands and were surrounding them. They were all lifted up onto shoulders and carried away, though James shouted that he would talk to them as soon as he could.

Sirius rolled his eyes and chuckled. "Come on."

The two made it back to Gryffindor Common Room and sat down comfortable on the couch in front of the fire before the majority of people had arrived.

"So now what?" Sirius asked.

Peter looked at him for a while. "The notes!"

Sirius shrugged. "Nothing else to do."

He pulled the folded, wrinkled parchment out of his pocket and flattened it the best he could. Peter sat closer to him so he could read the notes.

"So what have we got so far?" Peter asked.

"He's left on the twenty-third of September, and he left this morning. Today's date is the twenty-second. Peter, hand me that calendar," Sirius pointed to a small flip calendar on the coffee table in front of them. Peter sat beside him and watched quietly.

"Nothing significant about September," he said.

"Except it was a full moon," Peter corrected. Sirius looked at him, then back at the calendar. "Check this month," Peter said.

Sirius quickly flipped to the appropriate page and sure enough, it had been a full moon. "It..." Sirius shook his head and took a double-take on the page. It was impossible, and yet...

"Full moon," Peter shuddered. "What's to do with the full moon, though?" Sirius's eyes grew wide. His hands suddenly became unnaturally clammy, allowing the calendar to slip through his fingers and onto the floor. Could shy, quiet Remus Lupin be harboring a secret that big?

"Hasn't he left every time there's a full moon?" Sirius asked.

"Maybe he likes to watch mooncalves?" Peter suggested.

"No, he can't...it can't..."

"Hey we did it! We won our first match!" James ran up to them. "Hey, what's up?"

"I think you might want to sit down for this one, James," Sirius nodded for him to sit down beside him.

James did as he was suggested to do. "What's going on? Is everything alright?"

"I have some news to tell you, James," Sirius said very nervously.

"What?"

"I think I know what's up with Remus," Sirius answered.

"Do I even want to know?" James rolled his eyes. Peter looked on at the two with a confused expression plastered to his face.

Sirius sighed. "Probably not. But I think you should know."

"Oh."

"Remember how we started to record events that occurred on this date and that?"

"Yeah," James nodded.

"And Peter brought up the weather?"

Another nod.

"Well, I kept going on with the moon because I was trying to annoy you," Sirius paused. "But I really believe that the moon is the answer behind everything," he picked up the calendar again and began flipping through it.

"What are you getting at?" James asked slowly.

"Remus never carries around sickles. What kind of metal are sickles made from?"

"Silver," James answered.

"Defense Against the Dark Arts: what was his boggart?"

"A crystal ball."

"No. Look outside. At the moon."

"It's a full m..." James trailed off, his thoughts etched across his face as he realized what Sirius meant. "You mean you think he's a...he's a..."

"A werewolf," Sirius finished the statement.

"You're...you're mental. Really. Remus? A werewolf?" Peter stared at them as he understood for the first time.

Sirius looked up at him and then back at his friend sitting next to him. "Look James, I don't want to believe it either, but that's the only explanation we've got-"

"But he doesn't act like a werewolf at all. Why Remus?" James asked.

"The werewolf doesn't distinguish between friends and enemies. If you're there, it bites," Sirius said. James gave him an odd look.

"I was flipping through my Defense book one night," he explained.

James snorted. "You do research?"

"It wasn't research then, it was because I was bored!"

"Why not go to the library and get better!"

"Everyone knows we're all friends. I bet you anything the teachers know. If we were to go in there and ask for books on werewolves for no apparent reason, they'd be suspicious that we know!"

"Sirius, keep your voice down! Do you want the entire Common Room to know," James whispered. "Even if this is true," he added.

"What do you want to do?" Sirius snapped.

"Let's just go up to the dorm!"

"We can't go up to our dorm just yet! It's too early! It'll look suspicious!" Sirius exclaimed. James turned his head and saw Lily Evans and Marlene McKinnon going up to the girls' dormitories.

"See! They're going! It won't be that abnormal, and after all, I just played a game," James suggested.

"Fine," Sirius shook his head and he and James stood up for the dormitory. But they looked back and saw Peter still sitting there.

"Peter, are you coming?" James asked. Peter locked eyes with them for a second and then quickly stood up.

"I've got to go to the library," he wheezed. "Essay!" and he ran out of the Common Room faster than either of them could have done.

"That little-" Sirius roared, and began to start off in Peter's direction, but James grabbed his arm.

"Come on," he said. Sirius shook him off and stomped toward the direction of their dorm, James close behind.

James closed the door and locked it. He, like Sirius before him, sunk onto his bed.

"But seriously, that's just impossible," James said. "I mean he just can't be a werewolf."

"He can't be or you don't want him to be," Sirius contradicted.

"I can't believe you would actually say that about him! He'd be the last person I'd ever accuse of being a werewolf!" James exclaimed.

"Maybe...maybe that's why Remus is so nice," Sirius remarked.

"What?" James's jaw dropped.

"I mean you know they say suffering makes you stronger. Maybe suffering this has made him who he is?" Sirius explained to a dumbfounded James.

"But he...but he can't be a werewolf! That's just the thing!" James stood up in his bed, waving his finger away at Sirius as if he had found a murderer. "Werewolves are a danger to humans. If he were a werewolf, he could - would have bitten a dozen people by now!" James protested. "And besides, he said werewolves aren't allowed at Hogwarts!"

"Look, I don't know about the last part, maybe it was just a cover up. And hello, Potter! That's why he leaves every month! So he doesn't hurt anyone!" Sirius shouted.

"I still...I mean..."

"James," Sirius shook his head as he began to calm down. "No."

"What are we gonna do?" James asked hopelessly, sitting back down on the bed. "Do we tell him we know?"

"I think we should. We are his friends after all," Sirius sighed. "I mean, Remus is Remus, right? He can't help it if he's got a...a..." Sirius trailed off.

"Furry little problem?" James suggested.

"Exactly! Like I'm a Black: I can't help it," Sirius said.

"And Remus is a werewolf. Not like he can help that," James added.

"How do we tell him we know?" Sirius asked. "'Oh! Hello Remus! Nice to see you again! By any chance are you a werewolf?'" Sirius almost spat out, very disgusted. "I can't believe he didn't tell us. Much earlier I mean! We're his friends, aren't we?"

James ran his hand through his hair and sighed. "I don't know, Si. We can't go telling him down in the common room, though. Someone might overhear."

"We'll have to corner him in here then," Sirius stated.

"We should probably lock the door so no one gets in," James suggested.

"We should probably lock the door so Remus doesn't get out," Sirius corrected with even more disgust in his voice.

"I can't believe this! Are you sure Sirius?" James exclaimed.

Sirius glared up at him. "What else have we got?"

* * *

Sirius felt sick the whole day. Sick from anxiety to tell him what they knew...thought they knew, and frustrated by the fact that he had been - might have been lying to them about something _this_ big. This wasn't just something you bring up in a normal conversation, but then who was saying any of them were normal?

The entire day seemed to drag on for the three. There was nothing more they wanted to do then to confirm the truth with Remus and yet it was also the last thing they wanted to do. Surprisingly, they never fell asleep in History of Magic, but they still didn't pay attention. James ended up burning a hole through his working place and even Sirius couldn't perform a simple freezing charm on his cup of water in Charms, much to Professor Flitwick's annoyance. Finally, however, the day was done and they all returned to their dorm without saying a word to each other. They each sunk into they places and waited for Remus to come.

Remus entered the room with his bag slung over his shoulder and a cheerful, yet tired look on his face that seemed to vanish the moment he saw them in their designated corners. He set his bag down onto his bed slowly and turned back to them.

"Is everything all right? Did someone die or get a month's detention?" Remus asked.

"Remus, could you sit down? We need to talk," Sirius snapped, receiving a nervous look from Remus. He didn't want to do this, but then, neither did James. He would just have to stick his head in the lion's mouth and hope for the best.

"Is everything alright? You all seem awful quiet tonight," Remus sunk onto his bed.

James quickly pulled out his wand and charmed the door so no one could get through. James snuck behind Remus and pulled his wand out of his pants' pocket, though he quickly noticed.

He stood up in a flash and turned straight for James. "What was that for!" he asked him. "Give me my wand back!"

"Remus," James shook his head no.

"Remus!" Sirius yelled, getting his attention again. "Remus, we need to talk!"

He spun round to face Sirius this time. "About what!" Remus asked in a panicky voice. His palms began to sweat, but he tried to hide them by clasping them together.

"Remus, could you sit down," James began to walk the plank now.

"What's this about guys! This isn't funny!" Remus voice began to shake.

"Remus, we're worried about you," James sucked in as much air as he could.

"Why!" he stared at them as if he had never seen anything quite like them. "There's nothing wrong with me!"

"We kinda notice a sort of...pattern. You know, in the way you leave to visit your mum. You leave every other month. Once a month..." James trailed off as he needed to regroup.

"I am going to visit my mum. She's very sick!" Remus defended.

"Remus, the three of us all met your mum on the platform last year and she seemed fine," Sirius rolled his eyes. "Actually, it seems it's you who's ill most of the time," he added.

"Oh," he grinned and nodded, though his whole forehead had visible beads of sweat coming down it. "So you guys don't believe me!"

"Remus," James started, "your Aunt Morgana died twice last year and twice again this year. I'm sorry, but you're a terrible liar!"

Remus mouth opened and closed again, giving him the appearance of a goldfish more and more by the second.

"Remus, we think we know where you've been going once a month," James paused and shook his head. "Actually, more correctly, we think we know why you're going."

Sirius felt horrible about not saying anything and leaving the weight for James to pick up, but he couldn't force anything to come out of his mouth. He was almost as mad as he had been the other day on the Astronomy Tower.

"Oh?" Remus's voice shook worse than ever.

"We were worried, Remus!" Sirius finally managed to talk. "Peter and I began taking notes of when you left and why!" he paused before continuing, his voice a tad softer and calmer. "Then Peter mentioned the weather which brought us to the moon..."

Remus fell back into the bed, shaking his head in disbelief.

"Remus, we don't care!" Sirius began shaking like Remus now, both because he couldn't believe he was about to say what he was about to and he was mad with rage. "We don't care, we're your friends! What was it you said last year? All for one and one for all? Doesn't that mean anything to you! If one of us falls we'll pick him back up. We're your friends," Sirius stared him straight in the face until he looked up from his hands and locked brown with gray. "We're your friends," Sirius said again. "Please don't lie to us," he stopped for a moment to let these words sink into Remus before continuing. "Remus, are you a werewolf?"

* * *

**A/N- Harry Potter and friends and everything else you recognize do not belonging to me as they are the property and creations of J.K. Rowling. **


	26. A Dark Secret

**Year Two: Chapter Twenty-Five  
A Dark Secret**

* * *

Remus sat as still as a statue. The room was silent. James and Sirius's eyes were locked on him, waiting intently for his response. He continued to stare back and forth between the two. His eyes sank into his lap and he said nothing.

James turned to Sirius and then to Remus again. The colour had drained from his face and small beads of sweat covered his forehead. His eyes looked sunken in above the large, dark bags beneath them. He stared down at his bandaged hands as he closed them into fists. He didn't move at all.

"_Please say no_," Sirius pleaded with himself, flashes of the illustration of the werewolf transformation from his first Defense Against the Dark Arts book playing themselves out in his head. "_Please just say we're crazy and that you really are visiting your mum because she's sick and you're scared you're gonna lose her_." Sirius knew that, as each second drew itself out, that that seemed less and less likely to be the case.

"Remus? Remus, did you hear us?" asked James, interrupting Sirius's thoughts.

Slowly, Remus managed to nod his head.

"Then…." Sirius trailed off.

Remus looked up at them and stared into Sirius's eyes and then James's before quickly tearing his gaze away from them again.

"No….I mean…it can't…it can't be…true…?" James stared at him in dumb horror.

Remus didn't reply, but continued to stare down at his hands.

"Why didn't you tell us?!" Sirius stood up and advanced toward Remus, scaring the smaller boy. Sirius didn't care, though. He was furious! Why didn't he tell them? What had they ever done to make Lupin not trust them? They were his best friends after all! Why would he feel like he had to keep lying to them?

"Sirius - " James tried to interrupt, but Sirius wasn't done.

"Didn't you trust us?!" exclaimed Sirius. Remus stared up at him, eyes moist with tears that wouldn't fall.

"Sirius - " James tried again, noticing Remus's struggle to not cry.

"Did you honestly believe that you could keep this big of a secret from us without us noticing?!" roared Sirius.

"I-I hoped - " Remus voice cracked, but he was interrupted.

"Did you think that you could hide this from us forever?" Sirius continued hollering down at the boy.

Remus quickly shook his head quickly. "No! I - "

"Did you actually think we wouldn't find out?!"

Remus shook his head again. "Well I - "

"Why didn't you tell us?! Didn't you think that we've proved ourselves to be pretty trustworthy friends by now?" Sirius could understand that Lupin wouldn't tell them right away perfectly. That was completely reasonable! However, he was furious that it had taken him _two years_ to admit his lie and they still had to force him to tell the truth.

"There were many times I almost did!" Remus finally cried out, his face falling into his hands. Sirius gave him a moment to compose himself so that he could hear what else he had to say. "I almost told you all when we were in the Great Hall the other day!"

"Why didn't you then?" Sirius growled under his breath.

This low growl almost seemed to frighten Remus more than the loud shouting had earlier. In a small, trembling voice, he answered, "Th-there were t-too many people around us. I wanted to t-tell you up h-here when your present from P-Peter was going berserk, too, but - "

Sirius did some quick calculations in his head and interrupted Remus once more. "Then that means it was you that was setting off my acutuscope!"

Remus stared up at Sirius helplessly with terror in his two big blue eyes.

"Remus!" James abruptly stood up and stepped between the two, afraid of what might happen if Sirius continued any longer. "Remus…Remus…we don't care…."

Sirius turned to James, angry that he had been interrupted, but didn't say a word. And neither did Remus as he stared in dumb shock of what he had just heard.

James repeated himself, staring into Remus's wide eyes. "Did you hear me? It doesn't matter."

"What?" Remus's voice was more hoarse than normal, as if he hadn't used it in years. He looked extremely taken aback by what he had just heard.

Scuffing the floor with his feet, Sirius nodded in agreement and James gave a small, reassuring smile. Remus wiped his wet eyes on the sleeve of his sweater, but never looked away from James. "What did you say?"

"You heard me," James smirked. "We don't care, Remus. We don't care. It doesn't matter."

Remus's former expression of stunned astonishment quickly melted away and was replaced with distressed pain. He shook his head and slowly looked down at the floor.

"Remus, what's wrong?" James asked, concerned. This wasn't a reaction they had expected at all.

"This is wrong…." Remus trailed off.

"What is?" asked James.

Remus looked back up. "You can't just be _alright_ with it. It doesn't matter…it doesn't _matter_? It does matter! It does! It makes all of the difference in the world! I am not _human_. I am a monster! A bloodthirsty beast that devours human flesh! A _monster_, for goodness sakes! And you just don't care?!"

"Remus, you're not a monster. You're a person and it doesn't - " James tried to speak reasonably with him.

"You're wrong!" Remus interrupted, shaking his head. He was trying to convince himself of what he thought they should be convinced of. "I'm a monster! An animal! I could hurt you! _Kill _you! I could snap both of your necks now if I wanted to - "

"But Remus, that's the difference! You _don't_ want to!" James contradicted him. "And I don't think for one second that you would ever hurt us, even though you could. You're too good of a person. Too good a friend…."

Remus's resolve seemed to break. His bottom lip trembled. "I…I…."

James took advantage of his momentary silence. "Remus, we do care…we do. We are bothered that you have to go through this every month. We worry that maybe you'll get so beaten up one month that we won't ever see you again. We are concerned about what facing this alone has and will do to you. Excuse me for saying this, Remus, but you're an absolute wreck sometimes." Remus chuckled softly between his sobs and James took this as a good sign to continue. "But you don't need to go through this alone. No one should have to go through something like this alone. We're here for you. We _want_ to help, that's what friends _do_…." James sighed and rubbed the sleep from his eyes. "You need to be able to trust us."

"I-I…" Remus sniffed. "I thought...that you w-wouldn't...want anything to do...with m-me…." His voice grew softer and softer with every word, making the ending little more than a whisper.

"You actually thought that we were like that?" Sirius scowled, earning another frightened look from Remus.

"Sirius…. " James frowned warningly at the raven-haired boy, who completely ignored him and pressed on.

"We are your _friends_, Lupin!" Sirius groaned and rubbed the back of his neck uncomfortably when he saw Remus noticeably cringe. "Remus, we're your friends no matter what and we don't care if you're a werewolf or...or if you had celery growing out of your ears…though I would imagine that that would make it terrible to go through a door," Sirius added. Luckily, Remus gave a small chuckle as well. "It's gonna take a lot more than you being a werewolf once a month to get rid of us." He chuckled again and let a small smile tug at the corner of his mouth.

"So…are we all okay?" asked James.

"I suppose so, but you guys really don't know what you're getting in to," Remus shook his head.

"I'm sure we'll find a way to manage," Sirius rolled his eyes.

Remus nodded and glanced up at them with two exhausted eyes. He yawned and then looked around the room. "Where's Peter?" he asked hesitantly, as if he already knew the answer.

James ran a hand through his unruly hair as he felt the atmosphere of the room awkwardly change. "He…he uh…went a bit weird when he found out…he didn't really want to talk…." James trailed off.

Remus's eyes sank back down to the floor again. "Right…." He slowly nodded, as if just speaking the word caused him a great deal of pain. "You'll have to keep this a secret just between us, though. If one wrong person would find out, I would have to leave the school."

"Oh no! But if we can't pass out little pamphlets that say _Danger_: _Remus Lupin is a werewolf_, then how do you expect us to be able to protect the rest of the student body?" asked Sirius, smirking.

Remus giggled softly at the suggestion, but still seemed depressed about Peter. "Since when have you ever been concerned about others' welfare?" he looked up at them again and sighed. "Alright…I suppose that would mean yes." He stood up from the bed and walked over toward the window, staring out at the nearly full moon hanging in the sky. He sat on the window ledge and rested his head against the wall, closing his eyes for a short while. He opened them again after a few long moments and turned his head to face James and Sirius. " I expect that I owe you both an explanation, though, right?"

Sirius nodded. "Yeah, that would be nice," he smirked. He handed Remus back the wand they had taken from him earlier and he eagerly took it between his fingers again.

"Now you're making me feel more awful," he stated as he stared down his wand, sliding it between his damaged hands. Sirius shrugged and sat down next to James on his bed.

"There were actually a few things that I was wondering about in particular," James said.

Remus sighed and pulled his legs up to his chest. "Alright."

"What is it like being a werewolf?" Sirius asked, ignoring the dirty look he received from James.

"Oh no, James, it's perfectly alright. I was expecting that to be one of the first questions you asked anyway," Remus pushed his bangs out of his face and looked out at the grounds below for a few moments. "I couldn't really tell you. I mean…I've almost always been a werewolf, so what's it like to not be a werewolf? To be normal? It isn't really anything, it just…is." He shrugged.

"But isn't there anything at all?" Sirius continued.

"Well…I do know that my senses are a lot stronger. I can see, hear, and smell things better than you could."

Sirius's eyes widened. "Really?"

Remus couldn't hold back a satisfied grin. "Yep. Last month, we went to visit Hagrid, and when we were coming back to our dormitory, I heard McGonagall coming.

"Blimey! I can't believe we missed that!" James nodded.

"Even though I have very sharp eyesight, I'm colourblind," Remus continued.

"Like a dog!" Sirius exclaimed before he could help himself. When he realized what he had said, he covered his mouth with his hands. "Oh! Sorry."

Remus shrugged. "No, it's alright. A wolf is a canine, so…" he shrugged again before continuing. "I can't touch silver."

"We did see that one," Sirius nodded.

He rolled his eyes and smiled slyly. "Ah yes…sickles…."

"How long have you been a…" James paused, "…a werewolf?"

"I was bitten when I was four," Remus answered.

Sirius's eyes grew to the size of gold Galleons. "Four? You were four?"

"Yes…." he slowly nodded.

"Then you've been a werewolf for eight years!" Sirius stared at him in disbelief.

"Well….yes…" Remus sighed and looked out of the window to collect his thoughts before speaking again. "My parents and I moved into the countryside. My father worked in the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures and was promoted, so we could afford a larger house outside of the city.

"One night, my mum told me that I was supposed to stay inside the house," he shook his head, his voice filled with evident self-disgust. He realized this, though, and looked back at them and forced a smile. "I didn't, though. I watched a frog jumping around our backyard and I wanted for show it to my father. But I was afraid that if I left it, it would hop away and I might not see it again, so I slid open my bedroom window and slowly climbed down our pile of wood chop," he didn't seem to be talking to them anymore, but instead appeared to be lost in the past memory.

"I ran after the frog to catch it, but it hopped into the woods, so I followed it…I don't know how long it took until the wolf found me…I heard twigs snapping and its low breathing behind me. I turned around and saw it standing in front of me…it was large and black and was baring its teeth at me before it ran toward me. I tried to climb up the nearest tree but it…it caught me by the ankle…. I remember this burning, ripping pain spreading up my leg before I managed to pull myself the rest of the way up the branch. If I hadn't made it to that branch, that wolf would have killed me. There's no doubt in my mind…." He paused shortly. James and Sirius watched him quietly.

"I couldn't sleep at all that night…not for most of it anyway. The sight of the wolf circling the tree and the burn and blood from my ankle managed to keep me awake for most of the night. I did fall asleep for about twenty minutes, though, and the wolf transformed back into human and ran way while I still slept. I never was able to see who it was before you ask. My parents, aunts, uncles, and my parents' friends…all searched for me in the forest that morning. They found me in the tree around noontime. I wouldn't leave the branch after what had happened," he swallowed the lump in his throat looked back at James and Sirius again.

"You two have no idea how much this really means to me. That you're accepting me, I mean. I haven't seen most of my family since the incident," he sighed again.

"I read somewhere that cursed wounds stay with you forever," James spoke up. "Does that mean that you still have the scar from where the wolf bit you?"

"Yes," Remus nodded.

"Could we see?" Sirius asked with a wide, mad grin.

"Seeing as I don't want to strip myself in front of you…no," Remus answered with a smirk. Sirius shrugged.

"That means that you would still have all of those scars that you gave yourself," James concluded.

Remus didn't answer and looked down into his folded, bandaged hands, confirming James's suspicions.

"Where do you transform?" Sirius asked. "So no one gets hurt," he added. Remus looked out of the window again.

"You know the Whomping Willow?" They nodded. "The Whomping Willow was planted to seal off the entrance of a tunnel. You can only reach the tunnel below when the tree is frozen."

"That's how you knew how to stop it last year!" Sirius exclaimed. He nodded.

"Does this tunnel lead somewhere or do you transform in it?" asked James.

"No, I don't transform in the tunnel. I - "

"Don't tell me!" Sirius closed his eyes as he tried to concentrate on the answer, but it wouldn't come to him.

"The Shrieking Shack?" James stared at Remus.

Sirius's eyes widened and he stared at the floor as he recalled the articles that the _Daily Prophet_ had written about the haunted Shrieking Shack in Hogsmeade. Before they had come to Hogwarts, the building had been quiet. Within their first month of school, though, there had been reports of ghosts. And the instances of hauntings were each one month apart. Dumbledore supported the rumors of ghosts. It seemed very obvious.

"The articles in the _Daily Prophet_," Remus nodded.

"The articles said that Dumbledore was encouraging the rumors. That means that he, at least, knows about all of this!" Sirius reasoned.

Remus smiled and nodded. "Yes. Good job. Yes, I have heard a few of the rumors. Dumbledore was covering for me because under normal conditions, someone like me wouldn't be allowed to attend school. If any of the wrong people were to find out about this, _I would have to leave_," he repeated this.

"So do all of the professors know, too?" asked James. Remus nodded.

"Where do you transform at when you're at home?" Sirius asked.

"My father built me a shed shortly after I was bitten. It has many magical protections on it, but if I would manage to break free of it, the house has the same precautions. I've never broken out, though. We have no neighbors, so the chances of anything happening are very small," he stopped and looked thoughtful. "Where did Peter go? What happened to him?"

"Well…" James ran a hand through his hair awkwardly.

"He learned your secret and ran away," Sirius growled. "He was horrified and wanted nothing to do with seeing you or talking to you about it."

"Sirius - " Remus interrupted.

"No!" he exclaimed. "What kind of friend is that? He learns something bad about you and he wants nothing to do with you!"

"Sirius, Peter's afraid! I am a werewolf! It's only logical to be frightened."

"We're not afraid though!"

"Well that would say everything, wouldn't it?" Remus smiled smally and James also softly chuckled. "Sirius, you can't blame Peter for being scared."

"So you're not angry with him at all?" Sirius asked in dumb astonishment.

Remus shook his head. "No. I'm disappointed, but I'm not angry. I can understand why he is frightened." He sighed, "Do you have any more questions?" he asked. James and Sirius shook their heads. He grinned and clapped his hands together. "Alright then."

Sirius stood up, sat beside him on the windowsill, and stared at him for a long time before bonking him on the head.

"Ow! What was that for?" he asked, holding his head.

"If you ever keep another secret from us again, I'll bop you worse," Sirius said in the most solemn tone he could muster up before the three broke out into laughter. Sirius grabbed Remus's head under his arm and gave him a noogie just before James ran at the two with his bed pillow, whacking them both with it until the feathers flew everywhere.

"So we're alright?" James asked Remus.

They watched as his face broke into the first real smile they had ever seen on it. "Yes, I think we are," he nodded.

* * *

**A/N- Harry Potter and friends and everything else you recognize do not belonging to me as they are the property and creations of J.K. Rowling. **


	27. Forbidden Flowers

**Year Two: Chapter Twenty-Six  
Forbidden Flowers**

* * *

This is a completely new chapter which has not been written yet. I have provided my notes for it below for anyone who wants to understand what will happen in it. Please wait patiently. Thank you!

Outline: Lily talks to Remus about James and Sirius hexing a little first year girl. He persuades he to come with them into the Forbidden Forest to see firework flowers. James and Sirius scare Lily and she almost twists her ankle on a tree root. She is upset with them and refuses to talk to them.

* * *

**A/N- Harry Potter and friends and everything else you recognize do not belonging to me as they are the property and creations of J.K. Rowling. **


	28. Reconciliation

**Year Two: Chapter Twenty-Seven  
Reconciliation**

* * *

Still rewriting this chapter. Please wait patiently. Thank you!

* * *

- Hey! Guess what! 

- …what?

- I've got sparkly ink!

- …You scare me, Black.

- Meow!

- How many times were you dropped on your head as an infant?

- …many…

- …that's what I thought.

- Where's James! EARTH TO JAMES!

- He's…

Sirius looked up from their conversation to James.

Staring at a head of red hair….

- Lily Evans!

Sirius smirked.

- James and Lily! Sitting in a tree! K-I-S-S-I-N-G!

Sirius was about to continue when he saw a snitch appear in the bottom right corner of the parchment, soon embellished with-

"An L. E…." he heard Remus mumble aloud, though was unheard by Professor Binn's ghostly ears. He turned back to him who coolly had both of his feet propped up on his desk. Running his hand through his hair, he sent Remus the thumbs up and a smirk.

Remus's eyes returned to the parchment and the snitch. He grinned at it and then at James.

* * *

"Jamsie Poo!" Sirius called out at the end of class. Sure enough, he turned around.

"Siri Poo!" he said with outstretched arms. Sirius, grinning madly, continued.

"Remmy Poo!" he went to hug Remus.

"No," he pushed him away.

"Fine…you be grumps then," Sirius stated. "Guess what day is tomorrow and James likes Evans!"

James froze and stared at Sirius like he had never quite seen anything like him before. "What!" he choked.

"Huh?"

"What you said."

"Where?"

"About-"

"Why?" Sirius was wearing the hugest smirk they had ever seen on it.

"James…?" Remus gave a tired grin.

"…what?" James shrugged, obviously trying to avoid the subject.

"Actually, I think it's rather cute! Our ickle Jamsie Poo's growing up!" Sirius started to pinch his cheek, but James smacked his hand away.

"Shove off, Sirius," his face was staring at the floor, though they could still see it was a lovely shade of beat red.

"Come on, Sirius, leave him alone," Remus yawned upon entering the Great Hall and took a seat in the back.

"Oh boy! Potatoes!" Sirius exclaimed. "We always have potatoes!" he continued with the same excited character.

"Aren't you going to eat anything?" James questioned Remus, who shook his head in reply.

"I don't have much of an appetite, I'm leaving soon to _visit my mother_," he stated. Sirius stopped eating with his fork halfway to his mouth.

"Oh," he then nodded, understanding.

"I'm not hungry anymore," James set his utensils down.

Sirius shook his head. "Me neither."

"Oh come now, you have to eat," he argued.

"Nah," Sirius shook his head again. Remus sighed.

"Fine, I'm not going to get through to you anyway…"

"How much longer till you leave to see her?" James asked.

"Not much longer. Half an hour," he gulped.

"Well come on, we'll walk you there," Sirius stood up, shortly followed by James.

"No, sit down. We don't have to leave just yet."

"Fine," Sirius sat down with a loud thump of mock disappointment.

"When is your next Quidditch match, James?" he changed the subject.

"Not for a little while. You never saw the first one, right?"

"No."

James began telling an exaggerated story of his first Quidditch game against Ravenclaw. On parts that were really off and out there, though, Sirius would bring him back to Earth in a fit of laughs.

By the time the stories were done, thirty minutes had past. The three left the Great Hall for the Infirmary. James and Sirius tried to make talk of anything other than the full moon about to rise in the sky, to ease Remus's mind for a little while longer. And, for the most part, it seemed to be working. Although he never really laughed at any of the jokes, he did seem a little calmer.

Outside the door of the Hospital Wing, Sirius knocked on it.

"We'll come to see you first thing in the morning," James vowed.

"No," Remus argued. "Come after ten. Please."

"…you'll be sleeping…?" Sirius began.

"I don't want you to see me all bloodied up," the door opened and Madam Pomfrey stood in the threshold.

"Come in, dear," she ushered him inside.

"Please," he added from inside before she shut the door.

Sirius sighed and James ran a hand through his hair.

* * *

James and Sirius entered the Hospital Wing and walked toward the bed. Only someone else was already there.

Peter.

"Thanks, but I might have to take you up on that hexing offer," Remus's voice was heard, more hoarse than normal.

"Oi, Peter! What are you doing here?" Sirius asked. "I thought you'd wet yourself if you saw Lupin again." Peter spun around.

"It's alright, guys," Remus stated. When he came into view, Sirius almost gasped. He looked worse than he had ever seen him. His entire body, as much as wasn't under the sheets, was covered in deep scars and gashes, and though none of them were bleeding anymore, they still looked remarkable painful.

"Are you alright?" James asked, sitting down on a stool next to the bed.

Remus shrugged the best he could. He stared down at his sheets, becoming very interested in the sunlight beaming down on them. "Could be better, but.…"

"You look dreadful, mate," Sirius stated.

"I'm fine," he returned stiffly.

"Fine," Sirius threw his hands up in.

"Hey! Guess what I got?" James grinned.

Remus looked up at him with the best-annoyed face he could pull in his state. "…what?"

"Close your eyes," he instructed.

"You're probably going to feed me some vomit flavored Bertie Bott's," he moaned, but obediently closed his eyes. James broke a piece of his candy bar.

"Open your mouth." He groaned again, but did as he was told. James gave him the candy.

He opened his eyes and grinned. "Chocolate!"

"Yep," James passed the bar onto Sirius.

"So what are you doing here, Peter?" he asked.

"I…it's not important. I was here and I wanted to talk to him," he shrugged.

"You could have talked to him for a month and you didn't," Sirius challenged.

"I've forgiven him, Sirius," Remus replied from the bed. All three looked at him. "And if I can forgive him, I do believe you can."

Sirius glared. After all of the misery he had brought them, and Remus just forgave him. Just like that.

"Yeah. You just freaked out for a little while," James nodded. "You're okay."

Sirius stared at him in disbelief and then sighed. "Yeah." He handed James the chocolate bar and reached across the bed to shake hands with Peter. "You ever do anything like this again-"

"Yes, yes," he nodded.

"Do you want some more chocolate, Remmy?" James teased.

"I'm not incompetent of getting it myself you know," he said. James, with a smirk, set the chocolate bar on his leg. He stretched and reached for it the best he could, but after a minute, was still nowhere. Sirius, finally taking pity on him, threw him the candy bar. The three laughed at him.

"I'd hate to see if you were incompetent!" he joked. Remus, stuffing the rest of the chocolate bar in his mouth, put on a fake pout before joining the rest in their laughter.

* * *

**A/N- Harry Potter and friends and everything else you recognize do not belonging to me as they are the property and creations of J.K. Rowling. **


	29. A Grim Old Christmas

**Year Two: Chapter Twenty-Eight  
A Grim Old Christmas**

* * *

This is a completely new chapter which has not been written yet. I have provided my notes for it below for anyone who wants to understand what will happen in it. Please wait patiently. Thank you!

Outline: Sirius must return to Grimmauld Place for Christmas. He and James formulate a plan with the magial parchment, however, for Sirius to sneak to James's house for a few short hours while his parents are away at a party together. Regulus learns this and tells on Sirius, though, and Mrs. Black hits Sirius in the back with her cane and sends him back up to his room. He is not allowed to leave the house for the rest of the holiday. She thanks Regulus for alerting her to the problem, which disgusts Sirius. When they're both gone, Regulus reflects on how Sirius's punishment would have been far worse if her hadn't told. Regulus won't talk to Sirius at all for the rest of the holidays. Andromenda and Sirius play chess together and discuss a meeting for Dark wizards. Orion Black pulls Sirius aside and tells him that the Black family is supposting the ause and that by him brefriending halfbloods, mudbloods, and blood traitors, he is endangering their family and tarnishing their reputation. Sirius deends the muggleborns in his class and Orion tuts him for not calling them mudbloods instead. Sirius leaves after a "Yes, sir," and runs up to his room to write to James. "My parents have forbidden me to see you again. So natually we need to talk." He writes to tell him about the organization, but James doesn't respond. They learn that Andromeda is pregnant at the dinner table and is ngaged to Ted. We learn that she had an arranged marriage with Lucius Malfoy. Elladora and Cygnus Black are furious with her and the family leaves. Sirius runs back to his room and gets a note back from James. James said he heard about the meeting over the break as well and that he didn't care what Sirius's parents think. James's parents want to take Sirius away then and there, but know and understand that it is the wrong thing to do.

* * *

**A/N- Harry Potter and friends and everything else you recognize do not belonging to me as they are the property and creations of J.K. Rowling. **


	30. The Knights Of Walpurgis

**Year Two: Chapter Twenty-Nine  
Back for Trouble**

* * *

Still rewriting this chapter. Please wait patiently. Thank you!

* * *

"Is Snivelly still following us?" Sirius asked, looking over his shoulder at the hygienically challenged Slytherin. Holidays had ended and the four found themselves back at Hogwarts, walking down the corridors to class. 

"Yep," James replied.

"Just ignore him," Remus shook his head.

"Why does he keep following us?" Sirius asked grumpily. "Is he that much in love with us!"

"Let's turn this corner," Peter suggested and the three followed. Also, as predicted, did Snape.

"That's it!" Sirius exclaimed, his short-temper getting the better of him. He spun around, his wand ready to fire jinxes, closely followed by James. Expecting just this, Snape jumped behind a statue, their spells bouncing off of it. He dug into his bag for his wand as James and Sirius advanced on him.

Sirius shot a jinx that rebounded off of the wall and narrowly hit him in the face. Snape leapt from behind the statue and sent a nasty purple curse at them, though it missed.

James responded by sending another curse at him that, with an ugly face, he dodged.

Snape cast a beam of red light at Sirius's chest and hit target. Sirius, who had been paying more attention to the spell that narrowly missed James, was thrown back into James and the two fell to the floor.

Peter and Remus quickly dropped their bags and furiously threw curses and jinxes at him, but with a satisfied smirk, he ran away, quite content with winning the first battle.

"Run, you coward!" James shouted after him.

"Are you two alright?" Peter asked nervously as he and Remus helped them off of the floor.

"Fine," James coughed, but otherwise was all right. Sirius on the hand-

"Why'd you let him get away?" James and Remus held him back from bolting after Snape.

"Leave it alone, Sirius," James said.

"I've had it up to here with him!" Sirius exclaimed. "I'll kill him. I'll kill him!"

"Don't say that," Remus remarked.

"Why not! That slimy git has been following us around, trying to get us expelled!" Sirius shouted.

"Maybe there's someway we can throw him off?" Peter shrugged.

"Impossible," James shook his head. "That git's got eyes in the back of his putrid head.

Remus sighed.

"Are you alright, Sirius?" Peter asked. Sirius pulled himself off of James and Remus.

"Fine," he snapped, continuing his way down the corridor.

* * *

"Remus," Sirius separated the curtains from the bed.

Remus moaned and sat up. "What is it?"

"Nothing, I was just wondering about…your father."

He yawned and sat up, bleary eyed. "Why?"

Sirius shrugged. "Just your mother seems pretty young. What happened to your father?"

He sighed. "Sirius…I…"

"No lies, Lupin."

He sighed again. "I don't really know what happened…he was attacked…by a werewolf… It nearly killed him and he died the following morning."

"A werewolf?" Sirius looked skeptical. "Well, was it…"

"Who else could it have been? I'm the only werewolf in any near range of where he was."

"Not necessarily. There was another werewolf there when it bit you," Sirius resolved. "It probably wasn't you!"

Chances were that it was him, though. But Sirius wouldn't let him see this doubt, so he grinned reassuringly. "No problems."

"Yeah…" he nodded, looking away at nothing in particular.

* * *

"James…" Sirius rolled his eyes. The four boys were hidden in a broom closet on the fifth floor, stalking Lily Evans with James. Not that any of them had wanted to go, but James had persuaded them otherwise.

"There," he whispered. She had stopped and was looking around curiously.

"How'd you know she'd be here?" Peter asked.

"I sent her a note," James smirked. "You three stay here." He flattened his hair and pushed the closet open the rest of the way.

"With pleasure," Sirius snorted.

"Oi! Evans! How are you?" James emerged from the closet, his voice deeper and more mature.

"Potter. What are you doing here?" she asked suspiciously. Sirius, being the closest to the door, was watching the show through the slits in the door.

"Lily,I have been watching you for some time now, and I was wondering if you would be interested in spending time with me later?"

She blinked. "Like a date? Wait…it's been you who's been stalking me!"

But not listening to what she had said, he leaned forward and locked lips with her. Her eyes grew wide and when he pulled away, she opened the closet door and pushed him inside, slamming it behind him.

"What happened?" James asked in disbelief.

"Well I'm gonna take a shot in the dark, but I think you might have been a tad overbearing," Sirius smirked, consequently receiving a smack overtop the head from James.

"Lets just go," Remus sighed.

"Fine," James reached up to the doorknob and tried to turn it, but it was stuck.

"Well?"

"It won't open," James stood up the best he could in the cramped space.

"OW! You're on my hand!" Sirius shouted.

"Sorry," he looked down and moved his foot.

"I think I'm starting to smell like dirty mops," Peter complained.

"It's not the bad, Peter," Remus sighed. "Sirius, could you please move your foot?"

"It won't open," James slumped down against the wall.

"I'm hungry," Sirius commented.

"Eat your socks, then," Remus replied.

"Yum, cotton. No, I'm not that hungry yet."

"Can someone try Alohamora on the door?" Remus suggested.

"I don't think it will open from the inside," James said.

"Try it."

"Alohamora," the door didn't budge. "Drat."

"Now what?" Peter said, exasperated.

"Wait until Filch or someone busts us out," Sirius replied.

"Until then?" James asked.

Sirius shrugged. "Hey! Lets play a game! Keep ourselves sidetracked."

"Like what?" Remus asked cautiously.

"You know, I'm hungry, too," Peter said.

"It must have been dinner by now," James looked through the lock hole.

"I say we eat James first. If we stay here for too long," Sirius added.

"What?" James asked disbelievingly.

"Yeah, you got us stuck here in the first place," Sirius argued.

"There is something about your tone that makes me think you're really serious," Remus sighed.

"Well, I AM-"

"No. Please, please, please, please, don't say it. Please," he moaned.

The broom closet door swung open and a grinning Filch stood above them. "Well, well, a broom closet," he took a mop out. "Should feel just like home for you lot." And he shut the door again.

* * *

**A/N- Harry Potter and friends and everything else you recognize do not belonging to me as they are the property and creations of J.K. Rowling. **


	31. The Midnight Duel

**Year Two: Chapter Thirty  
Untitled at the moment**

* * *

This is a completely new chapter which has not been written yet. I have provided my notes for it below for anyone who wants to understand what will happen in it. Please wait patiently. Thank you!

Outline: James and Sirius are sitting together in the courtyard and are bragging to three first year girls. Severus walks by and conveys his disgust and his doubt that they transfigured Professor Hobday's toupee into a badger. Sirius is mad and threatens to do the same to Severus. The girls beg him not to and Severus sneers that he couldn't if he wanted to anyway. James challenges him to a duel in the Trophy Room and he agrees, Mulciber his second. Remus tries to persuade them out of it as Snape is the best dueler in their class and knows more dark curses than most of the seventh year students. He says he always sees him in teh library with his nose in a Dark Arts book. They disregard him and he asks them if there is something last that they would like to say before Snape kills them. James says he worries too much and Sirius and Peter laugh. James and Sirius go under the Invisibility Cloak and watch Mulciber pacing and Snape quietly taiting and calculating. Mulciber wonders whether they will come or not and thinks that they made up the whole thing to get them into trouble. Severus says that neither James Potter nor Sirius Black could take such an insult to their abilities and would never pass up an opportunity to hex him. James causes a trophy in the corner to explode and Mulciber casts Stupefy at nothing and it rebounds off of a trophy. He ducked out of the way as it bounces down the corridor, crashing into a suit of armor. Sirius casts leg-locker on Mulciber and James uses his wand to write a message in bright red. Severus is furious and tries to find them. They hear Filch and run back to their dormitory. A prefect hears and Remus covers for them.

* * *

**A/N- Harry Potter and friends and everything else you recognize do not belonging to me as they are the property and creations of J.K. Rowling. **


	32. The Restricted Subject

**Year Two: Chapter Thirty-Three  
The Restricted Subject**

* * *

Still rewriting this chapter. Please wait patiently. Thank you!

* * *

"Is Snivelly still following us?" Sirius asked, looking over his shoulder at the hygienically challenged Slytherin. Holidays had ended and the four found themselves back at Hogwarts, walking down the corridors to class. 

"Yep," James replied.

"Just ignore him," Remus shook his head.

"Why does he keep following us?" Sirius asked grumpily. "Is he that much in love with us!"

"Let's turn this corner," Peter suggested and the three followed. Also, as predicted, did Snape.

"That's it!" Sirius exclaimed, his short-temper getting the better of him. He spun around, his wand ready to fire jinxes, closely followed by James. Expecting just this, Snape jumped behind a statue, their spells bouncing off of it. He dug into his bag for his wand as James and Sirius advanced on him.

Sirius shot a jinx that rebounded off of the wall and narrowly hit him in the face. Snape leapt from behind the statue and sent a nasty purple curse at them, though it missed.

James responded by sending another curse at him that, with an ugly face, he dodged.

Snape cast a beam of red light at Sirius's chest and hit target. Sirius, who had been paying more attention to the spell that narrowly missed James, was thrown back into James and the two fell to the floor.

Peter and Remus quickly dropped their bags and furiously threw curses and jinxes at him, but with a satisfied smirk, he ran away, quite content with winning the first battle.

"Run, you coward!" James shouted after him.

"Are you two alright?" Peter asked nervously as he and Remus helped them off of the floor.

"Fine," James coughed, but otherwise was all right. Sirius on the hand-

"Why'd you let him get away?" James and Remus held him back from bolting after Snape.

"Leave it alone, Sirius," James said.

"I've had it up to here with him!" Sirius exclaimed. "I'll kill him. I'll kill him!"

"Don't say that," Remus remarked.

"Why not! That slimy git has been following us around, trying to get us expelled!" Sirius shouted.

"Maybe there's someway we can throw him off?" Peter shrugged.

"Impossible," James shook his head. "That git's got eyes in the back of his putrid head.

Remus sighed.

"Are you alright, Sirius?" Peter asked. Sirius pulled himself off of James and Remus.

"Fine," he snapped, continuing his way down the corridor.

* * *

"Remus," Sirius separated the curtains from the bed.

Remus moaned and sat up. "What is it?"

"Nothing, I was just wondering about…your father."

He yawned and sat up, bleary eyed. "Why?"

Sirius shrugged. "Just your mother seems pretty young. What happened to your father?"

He sighed. "Sirius…I…"

"No lies, Lupin."

He sighed again. "I don't really know what happened…he was attacked…by a werewolf… It nearly killed him and he died the following morning."

"A werewolf?" Sirius looked skeptical. "Well, was it…"

"Who else could it have been? I'm the only werewolf in any near range of where he was."

"Not necessarily. There was another werewolf there when it bit you," Sirius resolved. "It probably wasn't you!"

Chances were that it was him, though. But Sirius wouldn't let him see this doubt, so he grinned reassuringly. "No problems."

"Yeah…" he nodded, looking away at nothing in particular.

* * *

"James…" Sirius rolled his eyes. The four boys were hidden in a broom closet on the fifth floor, stalking Lily Evans with James. Not that any of them had wanted to go, but James had persuaded them otherwise.

"There," he whispered. She had stopped and was looking around curiously.

"How'd you know she'd be here?" Peter asked.

"I sent her a note," James smirked. "You three stay here." He flattened his hair and pushed the closet open the rest of the way.

"With pleasure," Sirius snorted.

"Oi! Evans! How are you?" James emerged from the closet, his voice deeper and more mature.

"Potter. What are you doing here?" she asked suspiciously. Sirius, being the closest to the door, was watching the show through the slits in the door.

"Lily,I have been watching you for some time now, and I was wondering if you would be interested in spending time with me later?"

She blinked. "Like a date? Wait…it's been you who's been stalking me!"

But not listening to what she had said, he leaned forward and locked lips with her. Her eyes grew wide and when he pulled away, she opened the closet door and pushed him inside, slamming it behind him.

"What happened?" James asked in disbelief.

"Well I'm gonna take a shot in the dark, but I think you might have been a tad overbearing," Sirius smirked, consequently receiving a smack overtop the head from James.

"Lets just go," Remus sighed.

"Fine," James reached up to the doorknob and tried to turn it, but it was stuck.

"Well?"

"It won't open," James stood up the best he could in the cramped space.

"OW! You're on my hand!" Sirius shouted.

"Sorry," he looked down and moved his foot.

"I think I'm starting to smell like dirty mops," Peter complained.

"It's not the bad, Peter," Remus sighed. "Sirius, could you please move your foot?"

"It won't open," James slumped down against the wall.

"I'm hungry," Sirius commented.

"Eat your socks, then," Remus replied.

"Yum, cotton. No, I'm not that hungry yet."

"Can someone try Alohamora on the door?" Remus suggested.

"I don't think it will open from the inside," James said.

"Try it."

"Alohamora," the door didn't budge. "Drat."

"Now what?" Peter said, exasperated.

"Wait until Filch or someone busts us out," Sirius replied.

"Until then?" James asked.

Sirius shrugged. "Hey! Lets play a game! Keep ourselves sidetracked."

"Like what?" Remus asked cautiously.

"You know, I'm hungry, too," Peter said.

"It must have been dinner by now," James looked through the lock hole.

"I say we eat James first. If we stay here for too long," Sirius added.

"What?" James asked disbelievingly.

"Yeah, you got us stuck here in the first place," Sirius argued.

"There is something about your tone that makes me think you're really serious," Remus sighed.

"Well, I AM-"

"No. Please, please, please, please, don't say it. Please," he moaned.

The broom closet door swung open and a grinning Filch stood above them. "Well, well, a broom closet," he took a mop out. "Should feel just like home for you lot." And he shut the door again.

**Chapter 16: The White Sheep **

**

* * *

**

_"Good morning, Regulus," Mrs. Black greeted the youngest of her sons, completely ignoring her oldest. Sirius was more than use to this, however, and took his normal seat beside Regulus at the table. The three sat and ate their breakfast silently, Sirius looking longingly over at Regulus's full plate of food and then down at his own. _

_He picked up a slice of slightly burnt toast and nibbled on it. _

_"Mother, you'll never believe what I saw the other day," Regulus started with a smug smirk. Sirius glared daggers at him and kicked him unnoticed from under the table. "I saw Sirius talking with that mudblood again." _

_"Regulus, you're finished eating. Could you leave the room for a moment while I speak with Sirius?" Mrs. Black asked, maintaining her calm composure. _

_Standing up from the table and pushing his chair in, he left with a very satisfied grin. Mrs. Black waited for him to walk down the hallway and up the stairs before rounding on Sirius. "Your father and I specifically told you aren't to associate with that boy!" Mrs. Black stood up, wildly waving her finger at him. "Why won't you listen, boy?" _

_"What's wrong with him?" Sirius worked up the nerve to speak, and then held his breath. _

_"Muggleborn mudbloods are the lowest form of wizards possible! Muggle children that happen to have magical powers-" _

_"But they can't help it if their parents are muggles or not-" Sirius was cut off when she slapped him across the face, drawing blood where the nails cut in. _

_"Why don't you understand!" she walked the length of the table and shook him violently by the shoulders. "I swear you were switched with the real Sirius Black at birth!" She threw him away from her in disgust. "Go to your room! Now!" She yelled. "I'll be speaking with your father when he gets home! Now!" She repeated when she saw him just standing there in shock, staring at her. He quickly turned on his heels and started down the hallway, nursing his cheek. _

_"Ungrateful little twerp. My mistress houses him, feeds him, gives him the clothes on his back and this is how he treats her. My poor mistress," Kreacher, the Black's house-elf, muttered as he walked past Sirius. _

_"That's a lie," Sirius spat, turning around to the elf. _

_"And there he goes again, spoiled brat-" _

_Sirius grabbed a vase and threw it at him. He then opened his bedroom door and slammed himself beside it. He heard it click locked: Kreacher had been sent up to lock him in his room. He hit his fist against the door and then leaned against it and slid to the floor, his legs pulled up against his chest. He rested his head on his knees and covered it with his arms, breathing very heavy. _

_After a few minutes, he looked up when he heard clawing on his window. He walked to it and saw gray barn owl trying to fight its way in. He opened the window and the small bird flew down onto his bed. _

_He lifted his mattress and pulled out a small moneybag. Giving the owl a sickle, he took the letter._

Mr. S. Black  
Bedroom Chambers  
Number 12, Grimmauld Place  
London, England

_He looked around nervously before tearing it open. _

**HOGWARTS SCHOOL of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY  
Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore  
(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock,  
Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards) **

**Dear Mr. Black, **

**We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment. **

**Term begins on September 1. We await your owl by no later than July 31. **

**Yours sincerely,  
Minerva McGonagall  
Deputy Headmistress **

_Hogwarts. He had been told about it many times and with this letter, he'd finally be allowed to go. He'd finally leave his family and the House of Black._

_He found another paper behind it, with the complete list of all of the supplies he would be needing that year. He looked back at the door, which was still locked, and couldn't be opened on the inside._

_In a split second he made up his mind. He stuffed his small bag of money into the pockets of his jeans, scribbled a reply letter to Hogwarts and tied it onto the owl's leg, opened his bedroom window all of the way, and climbed out onto the great oak tree in front of their house._

_He climbed down to the lowest branch and then leapt down onto the ground. He looked around nervously, straightened up, and made his way for downtown London._

_

* * *

_

_"Wake up, boy, we need to open our shop," he heard an elderly woman's voice above him. He shut his eyes tighter when a lantern was moved closer to his face,_

_"Come on, boy," another woman said._

_"Hmm," Sirius slowly blinked his eyes open and found himself lain out on a step in front of a store door in Diagon Alley. "Oh, sorry." He sat up and rubbed the back of his neck._

_"No problem, dearie," the first woman opened the door with her key. "I hope you find a better place to stay for tonight." The two stepped inside and closed the door behind them._

_Sirius stood up and yawned. He headed for Mr. Ollivander's Wand Shop and collected his books. On the way to buy robes, he stopped and saw a small ice cream shop. He felt like having a small ice cream, so he walked to it. A blonde cashier was behind it, glaring back at him._

_"Can I help you?" he asked._

_"I'd like a small raspberry ice cream, thanks," he replied. The cashier rolled his eyes and took a scoop of ice cream and smushed it into a cone._

_"Five sickles." Sirius pulled open his money sac and dropped the money into his palm._

_"One, two…three…" he could only find three sickles._

_The cashier sneered and tucked the ice cream away. "You need five. No ice cream."_

_"So I'm a few sickles short, big deal!" Sirius yelled, throwing out his arms in protest._

_"I'm sorry, but that will be five sickles, take it or leave it," the cashier snapped._

_"Damn ice cream git," he muttered and turned around to walk away._

_"Wait! How many sickles do you need?" a boy his age with messy black hair and thick glasses asked him, reaching into his pockets. Sirius was slightly taken aback by his offer, but chose not to voice it._

_"Two," he answered roughly. The boy smiled and pulled out the two sickles he needed and handed them to him. "Gee, thanks."_

_"Hey, no problem," he said, as Sirius gave his five sickles to the cashier who grumpily handed him his ice cream._

_"You wanna sit with me?" the boy asked politely, pointing to a table._

_"Sure, whatever," Sirius shrugged. The two boys sat down at the table and began eating their ice cream._

_"So, what's your name?" Sirius asked first._

_"James Potter," he said, hospitably outstretching his hand for Sirius. Sirius stared at it oddly, which was noticed by the boy. "And yours?"_

_"Sirius," he answered._

_"Ha, um...you got a last name?" Potter asked._

_"...Black," he made a point to say with clear disgust in his voice._

_"Black? You're not-" he pulled his arm back._

_"Look, I'm not like the rest of them gits I wish I didn't have to call my family, OKAY?" Sirius exclaimed, glaring at Potter. Which he knew he probably shouldn't do, but he was annoyed at the fact that he had been compared to his family. He looked down at his hand; his ice cream was melting and dripping onto his fingers._

_"Sorry. It's just that…I've heard some bad stuff about some of your family, that's all," he said apologetically, watching as Sirius wiped the ice cream off of his hand with his napkin._

_"Big surprise, that's what everyone thinks," he snapped, but then sighed. "No, I'm sorry. It's just that, since I'm a Black, everyone thinks I'm like the rest of them, and I'm not,"_

_He nodded quietly. "So why are you here?"_

_"I'm going to Hogwarts. You?" He nodded his head._

_"So is this your first time in Diagon Alley?" Sirius asked him. Potter shook his head._

_"Nah, Dad's taken me here loads of times," he answered, turning his head over to a shop called 'Quality Quidditch Supplies'._

_"You like Quidditch?" Sirius observed him staring at the sign and the broomsticks in the window._

_"Oh yeah, I'm a huge fan. You?"_

_"No better sport than Quidditch," Sirius laughed._

_"Well, James, looks like you've met yourself a new friend," a man said quite, unsuspectingly. They both jumped and looked up at him._

_"Yeah, this is Sirius Black, Dad," he said with a grin that instantly vanished. So too did his father's._

_"Well, we had better be off, James; we still have much to get. It was, um, nice meeting you Sirius." His father put on an obviously fake grin and pulled him away into 'Quality Quidditch Supplies.'_

_

* * *

_

_Sirius walked back up to his house later that night with all of his supplies and was about to bring them up through the window into his room when- _

_-the window was shut. He had left it open when he left. _

_He gulped and went to his front door nervously. He prayed Regulus would answer the door. _

_His prayers were answered. "What are you doing here!" he questioned almost immediately. _

_"You're not my mother, you know," Sirius pushed his way past his younger brother and up the stairs. He walked into his open bedroom door and stashed his school supplies away into his closet. He closed his bedroom door and turned around, face to face with his angry father. _

_"You are in such trouble, boy!" Mr. Black's booming voice yelled, grabbing his son by his collar. _

_"But I-I-" Sirius started nervously. He was having trouble breathing; he was almost lifted off of the floor. _

_"No buts, boy! You must have snuck out to visit your rotten little mudblood friends! Well, this will be the last time you ever sneak out again; this will be the bloody last time!" He punched his in the head and all light began to dim. Sirius shook his head to get rid of the spots floating around, but they soon disappeared on their own. The lights in the room grew dimmer and dimmer, however. He could hardly make out his father as he was thrown away into his bookshelf, where the few but heavy books came falling down on top of him. _

_He lay out on the floor, wishing he was invisible. Mr. Black walked over and kicked him in the side. The room grew darker. As his father laughed at him, the world went black and he remembered no more. _

**Chapter 17: The Restricted Subject **

**

* * *

**

"Put that book away, will you? It's three months until exams," Sirius growled when Remus continued to read. He looked up in a very irritated manner but chose not to say anything and returned to his studies.

"So we have to take two more classes next year. What are you signing up for?" James asked Sirius.

"I don't know, Care of Magical Creatures could be fun, and just to spite Mum I'd consider Muggle Studies," Sirius replied. "I don't see much sense in Divination as I'm not a seer, but I'd still consider Arithmancy and Ancient Ruins. I don't know yet."

"I can't decide between those two either. It is definitely Care of Magical Creatures, though. Dad said it is dead useful for Aurors," James commented.

"Auror? That's what you want to do?" Remus looked up from his book quite shocked.

"Yeah. There is always at least one Auror Potter every generation, and usually more than one. Some of the first Aurors were Potters, bit of a family tradition actually," he grinned. Peter looked up from his oatmeal for the first time.

"That will be really hard, though," he said.

Sirius slung an arm around James's thin figure. "Nothing our Jamsie couldn't handle."

"What about you two?" James turned the attention away from himself.

"Definitely Arithmancy for me," Remus smiled. "I'm not sure what else. Animals usually don't take to kindly around me and all the silver and the orbs in Divination…no. Pointless for me really to take Muggle Studies. I suppose Ancient Runes would be interesting."

"Care of Magical Creatures!" Peter grinned. The three laughed; this had been much expected.

* * *

"Nothing! We've been at this for nearly four months and have found nothing!" Sirius exclaimed loudly overtop of the book he was reading, causing Madam Pince, the school librarian, to hiss a warning to him. "I'm sorry, James made me!"

"It isn't likely Animagi instructions would be found in any books for anyone to read. I'd be surprised if they would even be found in the restricted section," James whispered.

"You mean not at Hogwarts?" Sirius took this opportunity to stop reading, something he already despised.

"We might have to go searching in Hogsmeade or even Diagon Alley," James sighed.

"Diagon Alley? That won't be until next year!" Sirius exclaimed.

"Mr. Black!" Madam Pince hissed again.

"It's all James's fault, I swear!"

"Well I can sneak into the Restricted Section under my cloak tonight-"

"Nope, you have detention with Slughorn for putting that dungbomb in Snivelly's cauldron, remember?" Sirius smirked.

"Rats," James cursed. "Well, you always could?" he suggested.

"Yay me," Sirius moaned.

"Out, out, out!" Madam Pomfrey casted the books at their table to snap at them and chase them out of the library.

* * *

Sirius spent most of the evening in the Common Room, waiting until everyone was up in the dorms. He worked on his two page essay for McGonagall, listing reasons why he shouldn't pick duels with slimy, greasy, annoying Slytherin gits.

_'There are many reasons I shouldn't antagonize slimy, greasy, annoying Slytherin gits, and I'm not saying any names. I can't think of any right now at the moment, but I suppose one might be that it is against the school rules to fight with slimy, greasy, annoying Slytherin gits. But the slimy, greasy, annoying Slytherin gits do deserve it, Professor, they do! If they'd wash their hair just once every month, I might back down. A little. Then they'd only be annoying Slytherin gits. _

_'Maybe a little slimy still, though.' _

He stopped writing and pulled the essay closer so he could read what he had just written. Grinning with satisfaction, he continued down the page with other reasons he hoped would persuade McGonagall.

Finally, at quarter past twelve, the Common Room was clear. He rolled his sheets of parchment up and tucked them into his pocket before draping himself with James's Invisibility Cloak.

It was the first time he had been under it alone, without James. He sighed and weaved through the couches and tables and out of Gryffindor Tower.

As quietly and stealthily as possible for someone with the name Sirius Black, he made his way down to the fourth floor and found himself walked down a completely deserted corridor. All for the better, though. He especially didn't feel like getting caught sneaking into the Restricted Section. Because then they'd suspect he was up to something.

He stopped and shook this last thought out of his head. They always suspected that.

He took a sharp intake of air and opened the low library door. The library was two stories of tens of thousands of books on thousands of shelves of more than a hundred bookshelves. A rather unnatural place for him, a haven for Moony - Remus he meant.

He climbed the stairs and went to the Restricted Section. He slowly reached and unclipped the rope. Very cautiously, he set a foot down, hoping not to set off some sort of alarm. When he heard none, he walked the rest of the way in.

"Lumos," he muttered as silently as he could. He passed it along the rows of books, looking for anything about Animagi or Advanced Transfiguration he could find. "Ah hah!" he found an old, musty book "Transfiguration Through The Ages" and another, "Complex And Advanced Transformation." He pulled them close to his chest and draped himself with the Invisibility Cloak again. He left the Restricted Section, reclipping the rope so no one would know he had been there.

He held his breath as he made his way out of the library and didn't dare make a sound except for quietly shutting the door.

He walked down a familiar row of armored knights, quite the ones he had stumbled across on his first day back.

"Splish, Splash! Wet cat!" Sirius froze. He knew that cackle, that voice.

Peeves.

Sure enough, he came around the corner, chasing Mrs. Norris with water balloons. Sirius backed against the wall beside a suit of armor and watched as they passed him, shortly followed by Filch, "I'll have you're head for this, Peeves!"

He let out a sigh of relief and ran the rest of the to Gryffindor Tower with his stash, mentally cursing the poltergeist for almost getting him caught.

* * *

**A/N- Harry Potter and friends and everything else you recognize do not belonging to me as they are the property and creations of J.K. Rowling. **


	33. Leaving Home

**Year Two: Chapter Thirty-Five  
Leaving Home**

* * *

Still rewriting this chapter. Please wait patiently. Thank you!

* * *

The trees bloomed and everything turned green and alive, a sure sign for the upcoming summer holidays. And while most students at Hogwarts would find this a wonderful blessing to bask in, young Sirius Black was most certainly not one of those students. 

He dreaded the fact he would have to return home to Grimmauld Place and the family it house. So distressed, he even sent an owl to Professor Dumbledore, asking to remain at Hogwarts for the remainder of the summer holidays. His request was declined, of course. The headmaster corned him later that day to tell him so and to express his disappointment that he never got to finish his soup, as Sirius's owl had down that pleasure for him.

So for the last month of the school year, James and Sirius were unstoppable. Pranks of all sizes and variety were played, leaving few behind who were not victims. General hubbub was assured, and the two Gryffindors stacked up more detentions than could be served in that last month, and had to instead carry them over into their third year.

But the final day of their second year arrived, as it inevitably would, and James and Sirius plotted one last prank. They hid the coal for the Hogwart's Express and even made it invisible, delaying the trip for two whole hours. Nothing Sirius felt bad about, though. Far from it.

"Alright, it's not that funny, you three," Remus tried to be the voice of reason, even as a small smile seemed to want to form its way on his lips, but the three friends continued their never-ending laughter.

And then the train lurched forward, sending them back to King's Cross Station. "Damn," murmured Sirius. James and Peter, however, continued their laughter, though softer now. Remus rolled his eyes and pulled out a book as he often did in these situations.

"Oh wow," James wiped a tear from his eyes. "How long do you suppose till they figure it was us?" Sirius shrugged.

"Where _did_ you hide the coal?" Peter asked.

"That, my friend, is a secret known only to James and I, though I doubt they won't find it today," James said, an unmistakably mischievous sparkle in his hazel eyes.

"As they all are, Peter. As they all are," Remus replied darkly from behind his book. James responded by blowing a loud raspberry. Remus shut his book and turned to the window.

"Cheer up, Sirius. We're not home yet," James tried to persuade his best friend to stay in good spirits. He only nodded nonchalantly and joined Remus staring out the window. He watched the trees change to a rugged mountain side, carved for the path of the train and then a tunnel. Sighing, he looked away.

"You're right. I've still got at least six hours. I shouldn't let it get me down yet," Sirius said, forcing a smile. James, still not satisfied, rolled his eyes and muttered something under his breath. Pointing his wand at Sirius, the spell caused his hair to turn a bright shade of blue.

Laughing again, James cried out, "Tag, you're it!"

Catching sight of himself in the window, Sirius growled and sent a similar curse at James's head, missing him when he dodged. Scrambling out of their compartment, Sirius hot on his heels yelling all sorts of profanities, the last two friends were left quite alone.

"They really are idiots, aren't they?" Peter asked rhetorically.

Remus just sighed and returned once more to his book. The two returned to the compartment towards the end of their trip, finding themselves locked out from their two laughing comrades. A simple unlocking charm and the two found themselves with hair colors matching James and Sirius.

* * *

The train stopped at King's Cross Station and the eager students ran out, ready to greet their parents with open-armed embraces. The four were in no hurry and were amongst the last to leave. They would be spending the entire summer with their families but only a last few minutes together.

"Write whenever you can. I want to know exactly what is going on at all times," James stated. The three nodded. Sirius stared down at his shoes. He had seen his parents coming for him.

An arm slung itself around his shoulder and he looked up to see James. "Take care, mate. You need anything, you know where we are." Sirius nodded and gave a small smile before embracing James like a brother.

"Take care mate," Sirius choked when he let go of a shocked James. He had never hugged anyone before. A strange, foreign feeling boiled up in his stomach and he knew he had to leave them before it got worse. Turning away quickly, for his eyes had begun to water, he muttered a goodbye and left them. They would not see him cry. He would NOT be weak! He was strong and he could take on anything Hell threw his way, no matter what!

* * *

**A/N- Harry Potter and friends and everything else you recognize do not belonging to me as they are the property and creations of J.K. Rowling. **


	34. Prologue: The Werewolf Registry

**Year Three: Chapter Thirty-Six  
Prologue: The Werewolf Registry**

* * *

_The pair stood in a very long and splendid hall with a highly polished, dark wood floor. The peacock-blue ceiling was high above them, inlaid with gleaming golden symbols that continually changed and moved. The walls on either side were paneled with shiny dark wood like the floor, and had many grand fireplaces set into them. Every few seconds, a witch or wizard from one of the left-handed fireplaces would emerge in a shot of green flames and a soft whoosh. On the right side, short lines formed before each fireplace for departing witches and wizards. _

_But something else really stole their attention. Halfway down the hall was a fountain. Five golden statues stood in the pool of water, all larger than life size. Tallest of them all was a noble looking wizard, a shot of water bursting from the tip of his wand. Grouped around him were a beautiful witch, a centaur, a goblin, and a house elf. The centaur, goblin, and elf, all smaller than the witch and wizard, all looked up adoringly at the two. The visitors stared at it in curiosity and amazement. _

_"Mamma?" asked a young, five-year-old Remus Lupin. He tugged on her skirt and drew her attention away from the fountain. _

_"Come along, this way," and she held his hand. The two joined the crowd walking toward the golden gates at the end of the hall. _

_They stood at a security desk made of the same shiny, dark wood as the floor and walls. A wizard in sleek sky-blue robes sat behind the desk, reading a newspaper called the_ Daily Prophet._ The young woman approached the desk cautiously. _

_"Excuse me, sir," Rhea Lupin spoke to the wizard who looked up at her and folded the newspaper up. "I'm here for my son." _

_"Wand please," he said. _

_"Oh," she looked around awkwardly. "I don't have a wand. I'm not magical. _

_"How did you come here?" he asked curiously. _

_"My husband told me how. He's in the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures. He was busy today. He would have taken him instead, but he couldn't, so I am." _

_"What is your husband's name?" he asked. _

_"Ares Lupin," she answered. The guard nodded, accepting her story. He pointed at the sign in. "Sign please." _

_While Mrs. Lupin signed them in, Remus studied the square silver visitor badge pinned to his shirt. He traced the capital V with a pale finger only to receive a sharp shock from it. He let it go and looked at his singed finger. _

_"Thank you," she slid the paper across the desk to the wizard. He took it. She looked around herself to see if anyone else was there before leaning over the desk. She took a low tone of voice, saying, "Can you tell me where I would find the Werewolf Registry?" _

_The Ministry employee looked first at her with a raised, judging eyebrow and then saw her small son. He looked down at his shoes, frightened by this man's behavior, and hid behind his mother's leg. _

_"Level four," he answered grimly. _

_"Thank you," worrying her bottom lip between her teeth, she sighed and knelt down to be at eye level with her five-year-old son. She tried to smile reassuringly at him, "Come on, honey," and picked him up, resting him on her hip. He hugged onto her neck, terrified to let go. He watched the wizard at the desk stare after them as his mother carried him away. The man watched disapprovingly until the two went through the golden gates and turn around the corner and out of sight, and then continued about his usual work in an unusually nervous fashion. _

_They were in a wide, short hall much like the Entrance Hall. The ceiling was lower, though, and twelve lifts were in front of them. The two boarded an empty lift. Five other people came in as well before the doors shut them inside. A man with a long unicorn horn coming out of his forehead stood beside them. The horn frightened Remus and he buried his face into his mother's shoulder. _

_The lift slowed and stopped at the first level. A cool, female voice above them said, "Level Seven, Department of Magical Games and Sports, incorporating the British and Irish Quidditch Headquarters, Official Gobstones Club, and Ludicrous Patents Office." _

_The lift doors opened and a man carrying an armful of broomsticks went out while four more came in. The lift doors closed once more and they were taken up to each of the next levels. Level Six, Department of Magical Transportation. Level Five, Department of International Magical Cooperation. _

_"Level Four, Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures, incorporating Beast, Being, and Spirit Divisions, Goblin Liaison Office, and Pest Advisory Bureau." _

_"Excuse me," Mrs. Lupin pushed through the people in the lift. They entered a corridor lined with doors. They turned a corner and saw a sign on the wall. _Werewolf Registry, Established 1947_. It was a tiny, plain room with a single desk in it. Seated behind it was an irritated looking witch – _

Remus Lupin's eyes shot open as widely as they could, and he was relieved to find himself within the safe sanctuary of his bedroom. He had fallen asleep while listening to his records again. He moaned as he groggily slid from his bed and turned off a particularly jazzy number.

His room was very small, as was his entire house. A single bed rested against the corner wall while his battered trunk sat at the end of it. A short dresser was put against the other corner, and his record player sat on top of it.

Remus yawned after shutting off his record player and returned to his bed. It was littered with his books and papers and homework. He had been completing the History of Magic essay Professor Binns had set for his students to complete over the summer holiday. And beside his essay was his sheet of magical parchment he and his best friends James Potter, Sirius Black, and Peter Pettigrew had. This parchment would allow for a message to be written upon it, and would then send the message to be all the others who had a sheet of the enchanted parchment.

But what interested Remus was that it had one statement on it, written in the messy, hasty scrawl that belonged to Sirius Black.

_- Oy! If anyone's there, let me know! Dromeda's wedding is next week and she wants you lot to be there! I've been asked to be and usher, too! Send me a message back as soon as possible! Let me know if you can be there! _

_-Sirius _

Remus grinned as he read this and dipped his quill in ink.

_- Sounds like fun! Send me more information please; I should be able to come. Congratulations on usher!! _

_-Remus _

He reread his response and grinned again. Setting the parchment aside, he continued on his essay with thoughts of seeing his friends very soon.

* * *

**A/N- Harry Potter and friends and everything else you recognize do not belonging to me as they are the property and creations of J.K. Rowling. **


	35. Nymphadora

**Year Three: Chapter Thirty-Seven  
Nymphadora**

* * *

Still rewriting this chapter. Please wait patiently. Thank you!

* * *

Remus Lupin stood in the doorway, in his best suit, looking on as Sirius Black joked around with James Potter when he was suppose to be using the time to prepare for the wedding. His tie was untied, his shirt wasn't tucked in, and his socks and shoes weren't even on his feet, but knowing Sirius over the past two years, he usually took things to the very last possible second instead. 

Clearing his throat, they stopped and looked up at him. "Oi, Remmy! Glad you could come!" Sirius waved.

"I hope I'm not too early," he began, worrying his bottom lip between his teeth. Sirius shook his head.

"Not at all, mate. The wedding should start in another half hour or so."

"So who are you escorting out?" James asked.

"Ugh, Bellatrix. The only thing that makes it at all bearable is the fact that she might possibly be more upset about it than me," Sirius pulled a grimace and then a smirk.

"But what about all the family honor stuff you go on and on about? Surely they aren't accepting her marrying a muggleborn?" Remus commented.

"They're not," he shook his head. "She's to be disowned immediately following the ceremony. It was her wishes they be here for her, though," Sirius shrugged. "And I suppose she got what she wanted, right?"

"Sirius, we have to get ready," a man, presumably another usher, came into the room.

He sighed. "Alright." He gave his hair a quick comb through and patted it down in front of the mirror. "You two pick any seats open on the Black side, you ought to find something." Finishing his hair, he gave them the thumbs-up before following the other man out of the room, looking as disheveled as before.

Shrugging, Remus said, "After you."

James rolled his eyes and led the way out of the room.

"You know, I've never been to a wedding before," Remus commented, making James laugh.

"Really?! You're a lucky one then!"

"Really?" he asked curiously.

"Sure. Ghastly things, weddings. Terribly boring!" James replied offhandedly.

Biting down on his tongue, he continued, "Well perhaps you're simply too immature for them."

"Not at all, Moony!" he laughed out loud once more. Remus was about to carp him for it – if not for him yelling out to Peter. And causing the entire congregation to look over their way disapprovingly.

Remus's hand found its way to the back of his neck, so he started nervously rubbing it. He quickly chose a seat and let out a great breath of air.

The service began shortly afterward. "Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today…." The Ministry official continued, but Remus didn't find much interest in what followed. Neither, apparently, did Sirius, who was staring gape-mouthed at the ceiling above them. Remus looked up as well, but didn't find anything that terribly intrigued him.

Ted took Andromeda's hand in his, fingers shaking, and slid the ring on her finger. She took her ring did the same for him.

"Do you, Theodore Tonks, take this woman, Andromeda Black, to be your lawfully wedded wife, to have and to hold, in sickness and in health, until death do you part?"

"I…." Ted's throat was stuck. He sighed and then laughed. "I do."

"And do you, Andromeda Black, take this man, Theodore Tonks, to be your lawfully wedded husband, to have and to hold, in sickness and in health, until death do you part?"

She looked up at the groom, a soft smile gracing her lips. "I do."

A loud gasp and a loud thump were heard, but most people simply ignored it. It was one of the Blacks fainting, was all.

"Then by the power invested in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride."

Ted lifting the veil with fingers that had stopped their trembling and looked into Andromeda's face. She softly caressed his face before he leaned forward and set his lips overtop hers.

Great applause filled the Tonks's sides of the room while most of the Blacks were standing up to leave. Andromeda Tonks looked out to see this, her radiant smile slowing fading and her eyes loosing their previous shimmer. Ted turned her away and embraced her. She looked to him, nodding, and the two left the room, followed closely by the best man and the mad-of-honor and ushers and the bridesmaids.

* * *

"So what is that?" Sirius asked Ted at the reception party. He was pointing at what Remus knew was a motorcycle. Remus smiled as he watched on.

Ted laughed. "It's a motorbike. You know, like a car, but more like a bicycle."

"What's a bicycle?" he asked with the same stupid, puzzled expression. It was Remus's turn to laugh, earning himself a death glare from Sirius. He shrugged and let Ted continue his explanation of the bike.

"So how was your furry little problem over the summer?" James asked. Remus turned his head quickly, amazed at what had been said. Contemplating for a moment, he replied with a, "Oh, fine as ever…."

"Fine?!" Peter stuttered in disbelief. Remus thought he was overreacting a bit, although Peter was the only one that had seen him right after one of his lunarly transformations.

He sighed and shrugged. "Oh you know. Nothing's changed…."

James laughed at the word "changed," earning a death glare from Remus this time.

"TED! TED!" one of the ushers rushed outside. "Andromeda! Her water's broken!"

Ted and the four stared dumbstruck at what had been said.

"…well can't you put more in?" Sirius asked. Stunned, the usher shook his head.

"…no…."

"Okay," Ted ran a hand through his hair worriedly. "We need to get her to St. Mungos, everything'll be…fine…." He walked through the door, staring straight ahead. The usher followed closely behind.

"Should we go?" Sirius asked.

"After you…." James said.

* * *

The entire party of people rushed with Ted and Andromeda into St. Mungos, making quite a comical situation of themselves as they shoved people aside in their mad dash. They ran for a lone woman behind the reception desk, who looked up at them in shock. She sent the bride and groom off to another area of the hospital while everyone else stayed in the waiting room, sleeping on the floor or waiting in the chairs.

And so that was how it was for the next twelve hours. Peter quietly munched on the cookies set out on the table while Remus was curled up in a corner reading an old magazine. James and Sirius talked quietly to one another. James was obviously trying to keep Sirius's mind off of his cousin.

A Healer came into their room and stood in the doorway. Ted's parents were invited in first, followed by some of his closer family members. And then Sirius was invited in, taking his three friends alongside him.

Remus couldn't see the baby when they first entered the room, only James's mess of black hair. But when he could, his heart melted. He saw Sirius holding the newborn protectively in his arms, smiling down.

"Hello. Hewwo…" he talked in a strange baby voice. "I'm Cousin Siri. Come on, you lot, don't be shy!" He encouraged the others to inch their way farther into the room.

"Here, support her head," he carefully gave James the baby. He smiled down at the limp doll in his arms. "What's her name?" he asked, looking up at Ted.

"Nymphadora Tonks," Andromeda replied from the bed.

"Nymphadora…you've scarred her for life, Andie," Sirius teased.

"Remmy, your turn," James nodded toward him. He nervously took the babe in his arms and looked down on the sleeping face. Mousy brown curls fell down in her face.

And then her eyes clicked open, a curious shade of violet. She looked up at him curiously, grabbing the thin fabric of his shirt with her tiny fist. And she smiled her smile to that Remus Lupin.

* * *

**A/N- Harry Potter and friends and everything else you recognize do not belonging to me as they are the property and creations of J.K. Rowling. **


	36. Regulus Black

**Year Three: Chapter Thirty-Eight  
The Sorting Hat's Warning**

* * *

Still rewriting this chapter. Please wait patiently. Thank you!

* * *

FLASH! 

"Bloody hell!" Remus shielded his eyes from the offending light. "What was that?!" But then he heard Sirius's laugh…why had it even surprised him by now?

"Smile," he turned and snapped a picture of James who was sitting right next to him.

"One more time and I'm chucking that out the window!" James threatened in a low growl. The three laughed goodheartedly as Remus put away his luggage and sat in the empty space beside Peter. Since their first year at Hogwarts, they had their own designated compartment in which each had his own assigned seat. Failure to comply with this simple tradition or any other held in high regards would constitute some cruel sort of punishment, whether it would be to have your eyebrows shaven off or your robes set on fire. And Remus, for one, was not about to test James or Sirius on this policy.

"Where'd you pick it up from, anyway?" James asked. "Remind me to pulp the person."

"Ted: was his before Hogwarts. Thought I'd enjoy it," Sirius stated matter-of-factly.

"He was right," Remus laughed. Sirius stood, opened the compartment window, and flashed five random pictures at the crowds of students and parents.

"Keep it up and you'll be through ten rolls of film by next week," James smirked. Sirius sneered back before returning to his seat. He tapped his fingers anxiously on the seat and sighed, giving the perfectly true impression he couldn't keep quiet and sit still for longer than a few seconds. Remus noted the black nail polish on Sirius's left, tapping hand, whereas the other was clean.

"You've taken a liking to black nail polish?"

Sirius lifted his hand from the seat, looked at it for a quick moment, and then returned to his unceremonial tapping.

Remus sighed, remembering how Peter's little sisters had given Sirius a beauty makeover last Christmas. Well, actually, he hadn't been there. But Peter had told him all about it while the two suffered from stitches.

"Isn't this your sister's first year, Peter?" Remus asked.

"Huh? Oh…yeah, Lyla," Peter nodded.

"Well congratulations. I hope she's in Gryffindor," Remus grinned.

"She probably will be. She's an insane, rambunctious little…" Peter didn't finish, but Remus laughed. When the compartment was quiet, James spoke cautiously.

"Isn't it Regulus's first year, too?"

The compartment grew quiet again. Quiet, and curiously cold.

"…Yes…."

"Oh, good fun, then…." James commented to no one in particular.

"Hey James?" Sirius asked.

"What?"

FLASH!

"Give me that damn camera!" James screamed, making to leap unto his provocative friend. He only held him back, passing the camera to Peter. James, however, hardly noticed as his first and foremost objective was to beat whatever bit of Sirius he could reach into a pulp whilst the two fought laughing at the ridiculousness.

* * *

"Firs' years, firs' years over ere,'" Rubeus Hagrid's booming voice cut through the smoke that engulfed the Hogwarts Express. Remus stepped down from the train and coughed when he breathed it in. He could barely see, there was so much smoke! He only managed to find Peter when he yelled out. But as for the other two….

Remus cupped his hands around his mouth. "James! Sirius!"

"James!" Peter did the same.

"Come on, we'll meet them up at the school," Remus grabbed Peter's hand so they wouldn't lose one another and followed the tall shadows leaving the train. The found an empty carriage and stepped on, discussing their summer holidays.

The smoke had nearly cleared away they spotted two girls, both looking their own age. One was a Hufflepuff with a blonde ponytail and large, blue eyes. The other, Ravenclaw, was brunette with a full face of freckles. Shivering from the cold, they approached the carriage.

"Mind if we join you?" the blonde asked.

"No, go ahead," Remus moved over so they could sit down. Expressing their gratitude, they sat beside them both.

Once again, Remus was short of breath, but for different reasons than before. His tongue was dry and his hands sweaty. He had never felt this way before. He brushed his bangs from his eyes in one, nervous gesture. The carriage gave a lurch forward as they began moving toward the school. Remus turned and looked at the forest off the side of the road.

"My name's Emily Summers," one of the girls said. Remus looked to see which one and saw the brunette beside him holding out her hand.

He stared at her hand for some time, wondering dumbly what he was suppose to do next. He swallowed his nervousness and met her hand. "…Remus Lupin…."

Giggling she said, "Your hands are really sweaty…."

"Huh? Oh…." Remus trailed off. Looking beyond Summers, he saw Peter wasn't having much more luck in their current situation than him.

The carriage stopped at the foot of the school and the students departed to start up the stairs.

Something brushed past them, but they didn't see who or what. And then, as if out of nowhere, James and Sirius magically appeared in front of them.

"There you two are? Where'd you go?" Peter asked.

"Nowhere…." Sirius put on a confused face.

"But you weren't there and then you were!"

"We really have no clue what you're talking about, Peter," James smirked.

"Oh just forget it, Peter," Remus shook his head. The four followed the rest of the school to the Great Hall and found seats at the Gryffindor table.

"Where's Professor Slughorn?" Peter asked. The other three looked up at the staff table with Peter and sure enough, the plump, jovial professor was nowhere to be seen.

Instead, a new, sinister-looking teacher sat in Slughorn's place. Sleek-black hair and eyes cold as stones, he glared out at the Gryffindor table with utmost loathing.

"Oh goody," Sirius remarked sarcastically.

The doors to the Great Hall swung open and one hundred students came through, following behind the ever-stern Professor McGonagall. They all stopped at the front of the tables and looked on nervously.

There, set atop a stool, was the old, worn Sorting Hat. The seam of its mouth opened and its song began filling the Great Hall.

_A time or two ago,  
When dark times were gone,  
And friends ruled the world just so,  
A time of magic spawned,  
And so there was a need of proper teaching  
Four friends of the most powerful wizards alive,  
Came to Hogwarts, they did arrive,  
They paid naught through the nose for the castle,  
And had no hassle  
Many thought they were too young,  
Fresh out of school as they were,  
Eager to fill the minds of many,  
Though each had different standards of who'd they pick  
Godric Gryffindor would take the bravest,  
Salazar Slytherin would take the purest,  
Rowena Ravenclaw would take those intelligent,  
While Helga Hufflepuff would take those who would not fit  
So the four friends ruled in peace,  
Magic was a secret they could keep,  
From those inept and not talented,  
Though far too soon, three would weep  
Darkness fell upon the four friends,  
Who thought they could make amends,  
But Salazar thought the school should only keep those plenty pure,  
Helga thought he should bend,  
For the rules that they had made,  
Were making things impossible  
So our story begins tonight,  
With the prospect of many new faces,  
Joining those who are old,  
For another round at the school created so many years ago,  
On this very night  
Should you prove to be brave and mindful,  
You will be put with those most like Godric,  
But should you prove to be pure and evil,  
You will be put with those most like Salazar  
Should you prove to be clever and intelligent,  
You will be surrounded by those most like Rowena,  
Should you prove to be shy and caring,  
You will be surrounded like those most like Helga  
Come, join me know,  
And I will tell you where you ought to be  
I make no mistakes,  
In the choice I undertake,  
While telling you where you ought to be  
A magical dawn has arrived,  
The sunrise most alive,  
Will you be here to see it? _

The Great Hall roared with applause. McGonagall held a list of students' names up so she could read it and announced to everyone: "The sorting hat will be placed on your heads, and will determine what house you will be placed into for the remainder of the seven years you will spend here. I will call you up in alphabetical order. Black, Regulus."

Remus looked in the huddle of first years standing in the middle of room. He had spotted the young Black, he was sure of it. The eleven-year-old had the same aristocratic look as his older brother. Raven black hair fell into his blue eyes beautifully. They had the same nose, same eyebrows, same smirk.

The boy walked toward the front of the Great Hall at the call of Black, Regulus. Remus had been right. He sat on the stool and stared boldly out at the older students as he waited for the Sorting Hat to be placed upon his head.

Remus received a sharp jab in the side from Sirius. He turned to look why, but Sirius only nodded toward his younger brother. Remus returned his attention to the sorting ceremony.

Professor McGonagall placed the Sorting Hat on his head and the Great Hall fell silent as they waited. Remus saw it murmuring to the younger Black as he itched his head. This nearly put James and Sirius into stitches, though they regained control before anyone else had noticed. Remus gave James a confused expression, but he only nodded toward Regulus, who was itching his head furiously. McGonagall, looking concerned, took the hat off of his head.

Itching and scratching even crazier, the students burst out laughing at his predicament. Professor Sprout left the staff table and escorted him out of the Great Hall.

"Quiet!" Professor Dumbledore's voice projected across the room. The room fell to a hush. And then, to everyone's amazement, the old professor chuckled. "Itching powder."

The students laughed along with him nervously.

"The sorting ceremony will be held the following evening. Everyone can find a table for the time being, no need to be shy." The first years nervously found seats beside the older students and waited for the professor to continue.

"Now before you all enjoy your wonderful mean, I would like to make a few brief announcements. To begin, I would like to introduce Professor Ophiuchus, who will be replacing our Professor Slughorn who has retired. Good luck, professor."

The Great Hall applauded him, but he still looked as pleased as ever.

"And now," Dumbledore continued, "I would like to remind you all that the Forbidden Forest is off limits to everyone.

"Two years ago, Professor Sprout and myself planted an exotic tree called a Whomping Willow on the grounds. I strongly urge no one to get within fifty feet of it.

"Mr. Filch, our caretaker here, has asked me to make you all aware no magic is permitted in the corridors. He also has a list of illegal items to be found at Hogwarts. He has added to the list since last year, I suggest you look for it.

"And last, but certainly not least, Quidditch tryouts will be held during the second week of term. Check in your house common rooms for more information concerning time and place if you are interested.

"Before I keep you from your meal even longer, I have one more thing to say. Engloutir."

* * *

"You two really are horrible," Remus said when they closed their dormitory door. Sirius tossed himself down onto his bed.

"We really have no clue what you're talking about, Remus," Sirius smirked.

* * *

**A/N- Harry Potter and friends and everything else you recognize do not belonging to me as they are the property and creations of J.K. Rowling. **


	37. The Boggart

**Year Three: Chapter Thirty-Nine  
The Boggart**

* * *

Still rewriting this chapter. Please wait patiently. Thank you!

* * *

"Shh." 

"Huh?"

"I said shh!"

"Ouch! You're stepping on my foot!"

"What don't you two understand about _shut up_?!"

"Okay, ready?"

"Yep, on the count of three then. One, two, THREE!"

FLASH!

"HOLY SHIT!" James's eyes opened immediately as the camera flashed a mere inch from his face. Sirius, Remus, and Peter fell to the floor in a fit of laughter. James scowled at them all.

"Sirius, I mean this in the nicest way possible, but could you go and throw yourself under a rampaging hippogriff?"

This only made the three howl louder. Sirius managed to gather the strength to stand up despite this, only to hit James in the face with a pillow.

* * *

"Hurry! We're gonna be late!" Sirius yelled as the three ran behind him. Their first day back at Hogwarts and they were already late for classes.

"Sirius! I can't keep up!" Peter wheezed as he fell farther behind.

"No running in the corridors! Get back here you little brats!" Filch had seen them and was now running behind them with his limp.

"On second thought!" gasped Peter.

James and Sirius turned around to run backwards and face Filch. "Detention! Wouldn't want to be late!" James waved cheerfully.

"I'll have your hides!" threatened Filch. Turning the corner, Sirius blew him a kiss.

The two entered the Transfiguration classroom laughing so hard that they had to help hold one another up.

"You for are late," Professor McGonagall stood at their usual seats in the back of the room, arms crossed and eyebrows knit.

"Hi Minny! Another year together!" Sirius exclaimed, letting James go to embrace her, much to the amusement of the class.

"Mr. Black!"

"Yep?!" he looked up at her, seeing as she was still slightly taller than him.

"A week."

"Yay!"

"With someone who's not me!"

"Ah…don't you love me, Minny?"

"No, Mr. Black, I don't. Now would you please go to your seat before you take anymore time away from my lesson." This was not a request, but an order.

Sirius returned to his normal seat with a mock-pout plastered across his face. Professor McGonagall began her lesson. "Today, we will begin with—"

"I'll get you yet, Minny!" Sirius shouted confidently from the back of the room. Remus moaned in exasperation.

* * *

Sirius and Remus took their seats for their first Potions lesson of the year. Sirius stretched back in his seat to crack his back and Remus dug his books and supplied out of his bag to prepare for class.

Professor Ophiuchus entered the classroom slowly, almost drifting in. He stopped at his podium and stood, staring out at the eyes on him, scanning and inspecting all of the students, as if trying to find something wrong with each and every one of them. He stopped at their table and smirked.

"Mr. Black, Mr. Lupin," he began. Sirius glared defiantly and Remus shrank into his seat. "I've been told all about you two and let me warn you right now; there will be no trouble or I'll have you both out of here faster than you can say lacewing flies."

"Yes…sir…." Sirius sneered as he added the last bit, meant in no way to show respect. Ophiuchus smirked.

"As everyone is well aware of," he straightened up to address the rest of the class, "I will be your new Potions Master since Professor Slughorn retired. And while he may have tolerated foolishness, I absolutely do not. We are here to brew potions, not jokes or gags.

"With that much said, the first potion we will be producing would be the hair-raising potion. I will be separating you into different groups. You will be working with the same person for the remainder of the year."

A loud groan filled the room, but Ophiuchus ignored it and divided the students.

"Stebbins, you'll work with Avery. Walker, Longbottom. Lupin, Evans. Fenn, Robertson. Black, Snape," the death glare that the pair sent one another could be felt throughout the room. Ophiuchus sensed this and, because he didn't want trouble in his classroom over _that_, switched Joseph Stebbins to work with Sirius and Darryl Avery to work with Snape.

They went off into their partners and awaited instructions. "A supply closet is to your right. It has everything you'll need in it. May I suggest you use your books," he drifted back up to his desk and turned over an hourglass. "You have one hour. Begin." And he made himself busy in paperwork.

Remus felt relieved he would have Lily as a partner. Potions was his worst class and any help he could get he willingly took. "Now what?" he asked, turning to the back index of the old book.

"No offense but I don't really trust you making the potion - " Lily began.

"Absolutely none taken," interrupted Remus.

"So you read the book and maybe chop up a few ingredients and leave the rest to me," she continued.

"No problem," he found the page and turned the musty pages over to it. "Here. We'll need one rat's tail, leech juice, dried Billywig stingers, and fluxweed."

"Alright," Lily nodded, repeating the list over in her head. "I'll be right back." Remus nodded and prepared their station. She soon returned with all of the needed ingredients and they began. He fed her the instructions and she did as they told.

"Remus, I'm dicing the stingers. Could you do the rat tail?"

"Sure," Remus nodded and grabbed the knife.

He dropped it immediately to the floor, emitting a hair-raising scream. Pain unlike anything he'd ever felt before ruptured from his hand, up his arm, straight to his head. He panted for breath, trying to get a hold on himself again.

And then he became conscious of everyone in the room staring at him, either worriedly or with a rude smirk plastered on their face. Remus noted that someone had even spilled his or her cauldron over in the frenzy, an orange gooey mixture covering the floor.

Professor Ophiuchus looked cross at his desk. "Is there a problem, Mr. Lupin?"

Remus couldn't answer. His senses had become fuzzy. All his senses except for touch. His hand felt as if it were on fire,

"Didn't you hear me, Mr. Lupin?" Ophiuchus repeated, more annoyed.

"Remus, are you alright?" Lily took hold of my arm and looked up into my pained face. He didn't reply. Lily looked down at his fisted hand and slowly opened it.

Her eyes widened as she saw the burn left by the silver knife. "Professor, he needs to be taken to Madame Pomfrey. He was burnt."

"Keep quiet," Ophiuchus hissed as he stood up and approached their workbench. He grabbed Remus's arm roughly and examined his hand. Remus shook from head to toe, both in pain and fear of what the professor would do.

Ophiuchus pulled him to the front of the classroom, before everyone. Remus felt their eyes bleed into him as he tried to catch his breath. Ophiuchus held his arm up so everyone could so the burn.

"This is what happens when we don't do as we're told!" Remus felt sick. That was absolutely not what happened. Ophiuchus was using him as an example. "Your partner and you will receive a failing grade on this project and let me warn you," Ophiuchus looked down into his face, pulling his hand up higher. Remus let out a squeak of pain. "Any other outburst and you have failed my class. Is that understood?"

Remus nodded. Ophiuchus pulled him to a nearby sink and turned the valve for ice-cold water to fall down onto Remus's hand. He gasped as it bit his skin. Ophiuchus took out a vial from his pocket and pulled the top cork out of it. He wrenched Remus's hand away from the water and poured the potion over his burn. Remus bit down on his bottom lip to keep from screaming as it burned his burn. He was then pulled back to the freezing faucet and washed his hand. The professor stood with a towel and handed it to him when he was done. Remus accepted the towel and softly thanked him as he dried his hand. He returned to his seat beside Lily as Ophiuchus told everyone to continue as he helped clean up the mess made from the toppled cauldron.

Lily asked how he was, but he wouldn't answer. She took the hint and silently cleaned up their workspace alone.

* * *

**A/N- Harry Potter and friends and everything else you recognize do not belonging to me as they are the property and creations of J.K. Rowling. **


	38. The Three Broomsticks

**Year Three: Chapter Forty  
Hogsmeade**

* * *

Still rewriting this chapter. Please wait patiently. Thank you!

* * *

"I don't believe it," mumbled James as he finished bandaging Remus's burnt hand. 

"Well you better! That Ophiuchus is a snake in the grass! He _knew_ about Remus's condition!" Sirius growled as he watched James.

"Just drop it, guys-"

"He pulled the vial _right out of his pocket_! He set the whole thing up!"

"Guys, it's over and done with now, I'll be more careful," Remus spoke again.

"You're gonna take this bastard bullying you?" James tied off the dressing tightly, causing Remus to flinch. Remus pulled his arm back.

"There's nothing we can plausibly do about it. He's a _teacher_, remember?" Remus tried to talk some sense into them before they attempted anything they may later regret.

Sirius growled again, stood up, and kicked his trunk.

"Just promise me you won't do anything stupid," remarked Remus.

James rolled his eyes behind his thick glasses. "We're not gonna do anything _stupid_, Remus."

"Well good then. Nothing to worry about," he turned to Sirius, awaiting his answer. Sirius pierced him with his eyes, sending a death glare from across the room.

"Fine. But I won't like it," Sirius added.

"I'm not asking you to like it," Remus shook his head. "Thank you."

Sirius rolled his eyes. "Yeah, yeah."

* * *

"Permission forms here," Filch croaked to the two rows of third years. Each student handed him their slips and waited together in groups.

A few times each year, the older students could visit Hogsmeade, a nearby wizarding village. First and second year students, however, were not permitted to leave with the older students and had to spend their day in the castle.

James, Sirius, Remus, and Peter gave Filc their permission slips. He glared down at them, but let them pass.

They boarded the wagons drawn by the invisible threstals and were taken off to Hogsmeade.

"How did you get your parents to sign your permission slip?" asked Peter.

Sirius laughed. "I didn't.

Remus rolled his eyes but grinned.

The wagons stopped at the station and the students got off. They walked into the village in small groups.

"Where to first?" James asked.

"I don't know…" they stopped in front of an inn. Wooden outsiding and warm light pouring through its bubble glass windows invited them inside the Three Broomsticks.

The pub was extremely crowded and noisy, but the soft smoke and scent of turkey, apple pie, and beer and whiskey on the air persuaded them to stay. Peter pointed to an empty table at the very end of the pub and the four squeezed their way past other tables, moving chairs, and cranky warlocks.

They sat at the table. Sirius and Peter picked up their menus and read.

"So now what? Are we going to be served on, or do we have to talk to someone?" Remus asked. James blinked, surprised he didn't know. Remus shrugged.

James rolled his eyes and smiled. "I'll be right back." He stood and made his way through the crowded pub once more, to a young woman with curly hair who was serving tankards of butterbeer to a table of chattering sixth year girls.

Remus had never been to a pub before. What with his "condition," he had chosen to shy away from public places as much as possible.

Sirius and Peter were still arguing over what they should order when James returned with the laughing woman behind him. Sirius looked up and grinned. "Oh Jamie, who's your new galfriend?" he teased.

James mock-punched him and sat beside Remus again.

"What will you be having?" She whipped out a notepad, pen poised about it, ready to take their orders.

"Four butterbeers," said James.

"And a plateful of garlic breaded chicken wings!" Sirius exclaimed excitedly.

"Alright," she laughed at his enthusiasm. "Will there be anything else?"

"Nah, we're good!" James folded up the menus and handed them to her.

When she left, Remus turned to Sirius. "Garlic breaded chicken wings?"

"Yeah!" he nodded. "Mundungus Fletcher told me their really good!"

Remus nodded uncomfortably and turned to look out the window.

The woman returned to their table then, carrying two large trays, one holding the drinks and food. She set it down on their table and they thanked her. They each took their own tankards of butterbeer and sat the chicken wings in the middle of the table for all of them, although Sirius was the only one that ate any.

Remus cautiously stirred his drink and took a light sip. It wamed his insides immediately and her realized he had discovered anew favorite to chocolate.

When they had finished, they advanced toward the register. Sirius ran the service bell since no one was there. The woman was there shortly afterward.

"Did you enjoy your meal?" she asked. All four nodded in agreement. "That's good. That should be thirteen sickles then."

Remus looked down at the floor while James dug through his pocket and pulled out the money. He handed it to her and she recounted it.

"Thank you," she nodded, accepting the payment.

"WAIT!" Sirius whipped out his wand and, muttering something under his breath, conjured a bouquet of flowers out of thin air. Remus's jaw dropped. "My I have the honor of knowing this lovely blossom's name?" he handed her the flowers, making a humble bow. She took them chuckling.

"Rosmerta. Madame Rosmerta," she answered, putting the flowers into a vase.

"Well, until we meet again, my fair lady Rosmerta," he made another bow and left, the other tree following.

Once outside, they all fell to a peel of laughter.

"How did you manage to do that, Sirius? That's advanced Transfiguration, nothing we've covered yet," Remus managed to say between chuckles.

Sirius shrugged and winked to James and Peter. "I'm just talented, I suppose."

* * *

**A/N- Harry Potter and friends and everything else you recognize do not belonging to me as they are the property and creations of J.K. Rowling. **


	39. Snape's Hungarian Horntail

**Year Three: Chapter Forty-One  
Snape's Hungarian Horntail**

* * *

Still rewriting this chapter. Please wait patiently. Thank you!

* * *

"Look at this!" James shouted, running up the Great Hall aisle, waving a sheet of paper in the air. 

"What?" Sirius looked up from his crossword puzzle and shifted his things to the left so James could sit down. He slammed the paper down in the middle of the table. Sirius looked curious and took the paper. He read:

_Want to be with that special someone? Or perhaps you'd rather like to spend an evening of fun with your friends? Come to Madame Puddifoot's at 7:00pm on the 20th of December for a formal ball! With free food and a live band, where else would you want to be? _

_Must be a Hogwarts student, third year to seventh year. _

Sirius looked up again. "A ball?" he chuckled at the idea.

"Yeah," James took back the paper and stuffed it into his pocket. "Sounds like fun!"

Sirius laughed harder, but nodded in agreement. Peter and Remus didn't completely agree with them, however.

"Maybe for you two," Peter mumbled.

"Oh cheer up, Petey!" Sirius exclaimed. "We'll find a gal for you!"

"Oh sure," Peter rolled his eyes.

"What about you, Lupin?" asked James.

Remus shook his head. "Could I see that paper, Sirius?" Sirius handed him the newspaper across the table and he turned it over to read the front page.

"What about that Carmen Milday? That Hufflepuff? You could ask her, I think she fancies you," Sirius suggested.

Peter shook his head. "Nah, I think she hates me."

"Oh my God…." Remus murmured, having finished reading an article.

"What?" Sirius asked.

"The first article," Remus handed the newspaper back across the table again. Sirius took it and read:

_WIZARDS MYSTERIOUSLY VANISH, MINISTRY BAFFLED _

_Ann and David Welshberry, famed founders of the Muggle Appreciation Guild, have mysteriously disappeared, leaving no clues as to their whereabouts. The couple, who had vanished sometime the week before, was reported as missing yesterday when a neighbor contacted the Ministry. _

_"I haven't seen them in over a week," a neighbor, Anita Gretchworth, told this reporter, "which is strange, they normally drop in on everyone. They seem to have disappeared without a trace." _

_Talking with more of the neighbors, it seems the couple has been missing at least ten days ago. It seems the couple vanished, as no one knows where they could be. _

_The Welshberry couple is, however, another addition to the increasing number of disappearing witches and wizards this year alone. _

_"There are over fifty wizards who disappear every year," says an unnamed Ministry official. "And some are never found." _

_"We're doing all we can," says another. "We assure family and friends that they will be found." _

_If you have any information concerning the whereabouts of the family, or any other, please contact the Ministry of Magic via owl. _

Sirius looked up to see the reactions.

"Whoa…." James trailed off.

"So they just…poof! Gone?!" Sirius looked skeptical. Remus shrugged.

"That's what it appears to be," Remus took the paper back and scanned through the other articles, but found nothing related to the first.

* * *

The dungeons seemed to be more chilled than normal as the Sirius and Remus marched gloomily to their Potion's lesson. It had been a month since the silver incident and Ophiuchus hadn't done much more than occasion harassment in class, but that wasn't much more than the rest of the Gryffindor students received. He had Remus nervous as china glass, though, and ready to break at any moments notice. Remus, who was already challenged in Potions, was making the simplest mistakes that even he would have never made had Slughorn been there.

As annoying as he may have been at times, they would both take Slughorn over Ophiuchus any day.

They walked into the classroom, but stopped immediately, or else they would have walked straight into Ophiuchus. He stood cross-armed, sinisterly glaring down at the approaching students.

"You will be working alone today," he said. "Without partners," he added.

Sirius bit his tongue and pushed past the professor. Remus was left staring into his cold black eyes gaped mouthed. He realized this after a few seconds and walked past Ophiuchus to his own desk. Another minute later and Ophiuchus stood before the class.

"Today, we will be making the Forgetfulness Potion. You will see I have written the directions on the board," he crossed the board. "All of the ingredients you will need are found in the supply closet. This is a particularly simple potion to make, so there shouldn't be any problems. You have thirty minutes. Begin."

Although Remus didn't particularly care to be caught in the stampede to the supply closet, he chose to follow the green rather than be left alone with the professor. Five minutes of fighting to get past people, he collected all of the necessary ingredients and returned to his table. He read the first direction on the board, telling him to heat half and cauldron full of water for five minutes. He started the fire for the cauldron to set upon, collected the water he needed, and poured it into the cauldron slowly so it wouldn't splash up and burn his face. And while he waited for the water to heat to the appropriate temperature, he prepared all of the ingredients. He followed all of the directions right down to the punctuation, and yet his end potion was lumpy and brown, whereas it was suppose to be very thin and red. He sighed in disgust. He really was hopeless in potions. Either that or the cold dampness of the dungeons caused his potion to freeze.

Professor Ophiuchus came around and inspected the many potions. He walked past Remus's desk and sniffed his potion, frowning. "What is this abysmal mess suppose to be?"

Remus's mouth felt dry and he had difficultly finding his tongue to talk. "A Forgetfulness Potion, sir."

Ophiuchus sneered, writing something in his book. He continued past Remus's desk onto the next. Remus sighed and collected a sample of his potion into a vial, tagging it with his name. He brought it up to Ophiuchus's desk and set it beside the other students' and returned to his station to clean up. He found a wet rag and began to scrub at his workspace, and the splashed and droplets of his "Forgetfulness Potion," but they wouldn't come up. As he leaned closer to see why they wouldn't come up, he gave a small gasp.

Wherever the potion had splashed up onto the table, the table had gone clear and see-through. To test it, he put his hand under the table. And sure enough, he saw it when it was beneath one of the spills. He pulled it out again and stared at the potion.

"What are you doing?" Sirius asked him curiously.

Remus looked to him and pointed to the table. "Look."

Sirius did. "It's see-through…."

"The table's forgotten what color it should be."

"Don't throw out that potion," Sirius commented and I nodded.

"So you understand what we're going to do now, Sirius?" Remus asked.

* * *

"Yes. We go to Bulfinch's," Sirius rolled his eyes. "One question: what's the spell again?"

Remus stared at him. "I'm going to write this on your forehead. _Mobilioses_." He made a gesture at Sirius's head as if touching it with a quill.

"Then I won't be able to see it unless I look into a mirror," Sirius replied.

"That's what he means, Sirius. You will see it," James explained as he and Remus laughed.

"Har har, very funny," Sirius remarked.

"Why don't I just do it?" Remus asked. Sirius growled.

"Fine..."

"Sirius!" the three stopped and turned around to see Sirius's cousin Andromeda running toward them. She seemed exhausted and remarkably pale when she stood behind them.

"Andie, are you alright?" Sirius asked.

Panting, she shook her head. "I need to tell you something, Sirius."

Sirius blinked. "Sure...I'll meet up with you guys later." They nodded and continued their way toward Gryffindor Tower.

"Shh, come on," she opened the door to a nearby empty classroom and ushered him into it. Shutting the door behind them, Sirius curiously watched as she nervously began searching around the classroom for something; looking under desks, in closets, and behind different stands.

"Are you alright?" Sirius asked.

"No," she almost snapped at him as she continued her frantic search.

"What are you doing then?"

"I'm checking if anyone is in here."

"...why...?"

She spun around, advanced on Sirius, and grabbed his shoulders. "You can't tell anyone! You're my only relative I can trust!"

He shook his head. "No, I won't. What's going on?"

She let go of his shoulders, turned around, and sighed.

"Andie?" Sirius said in a concerned way.

"I can't believe I was so stupid!" she seemed to ignore his previous remark as she sat down on a desk. Sirius took one beside her. "Last month," she continued, "Teddie and I...we...we did something..."

"Was it good?"

She shook her head.

"So it was bad?"

"Dreadful," she continued. "And if Mother would ever find out, I would be disowned for sure! That's why you can't let Narcissa or Bellatrix or any of them aware of this," she sighed to the floor. "Sirius...I'm pregnant."

He stared at her. "...what!"

"I don't..." she shook her head.

"And you don't think your mother will notice when you're thirty or whatever pounds heavier!"

"Sirius..."

"I'm sorry, but seriously," he ran his hand through his hair.

"Please. Swear to me you won't say anything! Ted and I are going to be wed in June and if I'm disowned before that, I'll have no where to go!" Andromeda pleaded.

He looked up into her eyes and shook his head. "I won't."

"Oh my God, thank you so much!" she almost fell on him in a hug.

Patting her on the back, he replied, "You're welcome."

* * *

James, Sirius, and Remus entered the Great Hall an hour before the feast was to take place. Professor Flitwick was in there, levitating the pumpkins into the ceiling.

"Oi! Professor!" Sirius shouted. Flitwick, who was standing on a ladder, shook and almost fell off.

"Oh, Mr. Black. How are you?" he climbed down from the ladder.

"Fine, sir."

"Not up to any mischief again this year, are we?" he asked the three with a grin.

"Us?" Sirius looked taken back. "No!"

"Never," James added. Remus snorted.

"Let's hope not," he grinned at them again before reclimbing the ladder. The three sat on the bench at Gryffindor's table and filled their pockets with treats.

"I'll wait here for you two. Don't be late," James said when they stood up to leave.

"No. Course not," Sirius shook his head and the two started off for the Defense Against The Dark Arts classroom as students began filing into the Great Hall.

"Shoot! I don't have my wand!" Remus stopped short and patted his pockets.

"You can use mine," Sirius offered.

Remus stared at him, dumbfounded. "You don't have yours either. I was doing the incantation."

Sirius shrugged. "Let's get it then." The two ran up the changing staircase. When they reached the seventh floor, stopped and panted like a pair of dogs.

"Okay...almost there...you're doing great!" Sirius grinned. Remus rolled his eyes.

"Come on," the two ran around the corner. Unfortunately, straight into Professor McGonagall, who was making her way down to the feast.

"Mr. Black and Mr. Lupin -"

"Oi! Good afternoon, Professor!" Sirius waved to her. Remus tried to put on the most innocent grin he could.

"You're not up to anything, are you, Mr. Black?" she asked him suspiciously.

"Me?" he pointed to himself. "Us?" he pointed at both of them. "Never! Even if I was, I wouldn't say!"

McGonagall eyed them, obviously trying not to crack the slightest grin. "And you expect me to believe you?"

"He didn't mean it like that, Professor," Remus cut in.

"How come everyone keeps saying I'm up to something today! I was just off to Gryffindor Tower with my good friend Remus," he put his arm around him, "so we'll be going now," Sirius went to turn around, but she called him back.

"Without going to the feast?" she asked.

Sirius shrugged. "We're just not hungry."

"Mr. Black, you have the appetite of three full grown men and you're telling me you're not hungry?"

Sirius shrugged again. "I don't know. If I get hungry, Remus has got chocolate stashed all over our dorm."

"Loads," Remus added.

"I'll be watching you," she began to walk away, but Sirius called her back.

"You know, professor, we should have a Halloween dress up party sometime," he stated.

"Really?" McGonagall replied. "And what would you go as?"

Sirius shrugged. "I don't know, I suppose I'd think of something-"

"Appropriate?"

"…probably…."

"…I'll voice your opinion to Professor Dumbledore," she nodded.

"Hey, thanks, professor!" he grinned as she walked away.

"Dragon Breath," Remus said of second nature. The two climber inside the portrait hole.

"I thought she'd never leave," Sirius pushed his bangs out of his face.

"Well you certainly weren't keeping her around, now were you?" Remus stated.

"Very funny, Moony," Sirius entered the Common Room, but stood there alone. Turning around, he saw Remus staring at him with a befuddled look on his face.

"What did you call me?"

"Moony," Sirius repeated.

"Please don't ," he walked past Sirius to their dorm.

"Oh come on! It's cute!"

"There's nothing cute about it, Sirius," Remus replied, obviously trying to hold back a laugh.

"But it's like a little nickname," Sirius stated.

"Yes, a little nickname for a big thing. I don't need any reminders, Sirius," he replied over the railing.

A group of girls who had been studying at heir table stopped talking and giggled nonsensically at them. Sirius grinned back at them and continued to the dorm. Walking through the door to their dorm, he saw Remus digging through his trunk.

"They just got the totally wrong meaning out of that," Remus moaned. "Everyone's going to be calling me Moony now."

"Wrong meaning?" Sirius asked, opening James's trunk and slipping out the Invisibility Cloak into his sweatshirt pocket.

"Picture," he restated. "I'd just appreciate it if you didn't call me that anymore. Okay?"

Sirius rolled his eyes. "Alright."

* * *

"Cut the string!" Sirius hissed.

"I can't get a good shot of it!" Remus snapped back.

"Honestly, that's something I'd expect from James," Sirius then had an idea. "Remus, get up on my shoulders." He moaned but obediently climbed onto Sirius's back and then onto his shoulders.

"Holy shit!" Sirius groaned. "Can you get it now?"

"Move to you right," he instructed.

"…WHAT!"

"I said-"

"You need to go on a freakin' diet or stop eating chocolate or something," Sirius panted.

"Are you trying to call me fat?" Remus asked down to Sirius.

"No. Nothing of the sort," Sirius stated with the best grin he could muster.

"Hey; think it's not Peter," Remus replied.

"Oh God!" Sirius exclaimed.

"Do you think you can _slide_ to the right, then?"

"…yeah," Sirius moved to the right, almost causing Remus to fall off of his shoulders.

"Oh my God, I'm gonna kill you when I get down from here!"

"Then I'm not letting you down!"

"Then I'll just kill you from up here!"

"Can you hit it!" Sirius asked, pleading that he could. Remus sat up straight, pushed down on Sirius's head ("Ow! You're scrunching my hair!"), and pointed his wand at the string holding up the Hungarian Horntail's skeleton.

"Incendio," the string caught on fire and snapped. The skeleton fell to the ground in a heap of bones.

"Holy shit," Sirius stated again as Remus climbed off of his back.

"Are you alright?" Remus asked when he saw Sirius rubbing his shoulders.

"Yeah," he nodded. "Reparo." The bones fixed themselves to take the shape of the skeleton. He raised his wand again to cast the final incantation, but Remus held his arm down.

"Shh."

"What?" Sirius whispered.

"Someone's coming," he answered.

"I don't her - oh," he nodded. "Quick, under the cloak." Sirius tugged at the cloak, but couldn't get it out of his pocket.

"Hurry, Sirius! They're coming around the corner!" Remus warned, looking nervously at the door.

"Go it!" Sirius quickly unfolded it and draped it around them just as Snape's hook-shaped nose came into sight.

"James said he thought he'd come," Sirius whispered.

"Shh," Remus hissed. "I have an idea."

Sirius mouthed the world 'What?'

"Cast the spell on the dragon any-" he stopped talking when Snape walked past them. "Anyway. Carry Snape on its back."

Sirius grinned mischievously with a mad glint in his eyes and raised his wand. Snape was about to leave the classroom when - "Mobilioses!" - the dragon came to life. He turned around immediately when he heard the patter of the bones against the floor - Sirius walking place. Sirius ducked his head, making the dragon pick Snape up and carry his on its head.

"Come on!" Sirius laughed while Snape whimpered. The two walked under the cloak and out of the classroom, the dragon walked in front of them.

"Lets make the grand entrance to the Great Hall!" Sirius made exaggerated stomps, shaking the lights that were hanging from the walls and making Snape yelp.

"You're enjoying this a bit too much," Remus stated with a small smirk.

"You have no idea," Sirius grinned.

The dragon stopped in front of the giant doors to the Great Hall. Sirius threw a kick and the doors burst open.

The students looked at it in worry and every teacher stood at the table. The Hungarian Horntail ran into the Great Hall, causing almost every girl to scream. Snape yelped as he held onto its head for his life.

It stopped in front of the staff table and started a crude dance, much to the students' pleasure to see their educators' faces.

Before Dumbledore could raise his wand, the dragon made one last rude gesture with its hand. McGonagall gasped and Flitwick fainted while Sirius and Remus tried their hardest to suppress the action of bursting out laughing.

Dumbledore waved his wand and the dragon fell to the floor in a heap of bones with Snape sitting on top of them.

The students stood up ad cheered, though the professors didn't do quite the same. McGonagall was stomping toward Snape, face red with anger.

"Mr. Snape, what is the meaning of this!"

"Minerva-" Dumbledore began.

"Defacing school property, disrupting the Halloween feast, and complete disregard for the staff. Isn't there anything you can say!"

Snape's mouth shut open and closed. "It wasn't me!"

"Well I should then apologize for my mistake, you don't look suspicious at all on top of that rubble. Who was it then?" The school laughed.

"This isn't right, Sirius," Remus shook his head.

"Shh," he hissed.

"Sirius, we've got to do something!" Remus pulled on his sweatshirt.

"No we don't," Sirius pushed his hand away.

"Probably Potter-" Snape began.

"Mr. Potter has been at this feast this entire time," McGonagall stated.

"Then Black must have-" Snape continued.

"Come on, lets go!" Sirius tugged on Remus arm and he unwillingly followed him out of the Great Hall.

"Mr. Black is in his dorm with Mr. Lupin. The decided to pass on the feast. I saw them myself. If they were roaming the halls, Mr. Filch most likely would have found them."

"Precisely my point," Dumbledore cut in. "Mr. Black, Mr. Lupin, could you come back please?"

"How'd he see us?" Remus questioned.

"I don't know, let's go," Sirius pulled on him, but he remained still.

"No, he knows."

"He's bluffing."

"We'll be called to talk to McGonagall tomorrow if we don't. McGonagall or Dumbledore?"

"I don't know, I've never spoken with Dumbledore."

Remus glared daggers at him and actually growled softly. "Leave the cloak. Come on."

Sirius rolled his eyes and did what he was told. He was the first to peak his head around the corner of the doorway. "Oi! Your Professorship, sir! Good day…or afternoon…."

Remus shrugged. "Happy Halloween?"

* * *

"Two weeks detention scrubbing the puke from the bathroom walls with Filch," Sirius grimaced, throwing himself on his bed.

"It didn't go so well, then?" James asked.

"Ugh. We still had to talk to McGonagall. Damn your conscience!" he shouted to Remus. "First something about responsibility then a lecture then more responsibility and then why we did it and then wrap it up with some more responsibility."

"You're lucky. You have such a short attention span you probably didn't hear half of it," Remus moaned. "My ears are still ringing."

"No, I heard quite a bit," Sirius contradicted.

"Amazing. Did any of it perchance sink in?"

"Hell no!"

"Did you get the same punishment?" James asked. He nodded.

"Snape's doing the same thing for four days for not being in the Great Hall or Slytherin during the feast," Remus added.

"Brilliant scheme!" Frank gave them all the thumbs up upon entering their dormitory.

"Thanks," Sirius raised his hand from the bed. Frank made the same gesture.

"So were you behind it, Potter?" he asked.

James shrugged. "I tricked Snape to follow them."

"Wicked. I snorted my pumpkin juice laughin' when that thing gave the professors the bird. My nose is still burnin'!"

"I'll trade a burning nose to rid myself of this headache," Remus sighed. Frank laughed.

"So where's that little Pettigrew? I've hardly seen him in a week."

"Peter? We got into a disagreement earlier last week," Sirius shook his head. Peter had been avoiding them, or more specifically Remus, since they had discovered Remus's secret. Frank, however, knew nothing of this and they weren't going to explain it anymore than was necessary.

Frank shrugged. "He always followin' you three around anyways."

"No, Frank," most surprisingly, it was Remus who spoke up. "Peter's our friends and he was before.

"He just doesn't know that right now," he added.

* * *

**A/N- Harry Potter and friends and everything else you recognize do not belonging to me as they are the property and creations of J.K. Rowling. **


	40. James's Victory and Defeat

**Year Three: Chapter Forty-Two  
James's Victory and Defeat**

* * *

Still rewriting this chapter. Please wait patiently. Thank you!

* * *

After returning from a full moon night in the Shrieking Shack, Remus had a bundle load of homework he needed to finish. And he sat alone in the Common Room, his only company books and parchment. 

That was until Lily Evans sat down next to him.

"Hello, Remus," she grinned pleasantly.

Remus grinned as well and decided o take the vacation from his work. "Hi, Lily."

"I saw your friends attacking a poor first year," Lily commented.

"Excuse me?" Remus questioned, wondering whether he had understood completely.

"Yes, outside of the Library. Potter and Black," she repeated.

"Attacking?"

"Yes. They turned her hair purple," Lily explained.

"Sounds harmless…." Remus mumbled, feeling like returning to his essay.

"Harmless?! Surely you don't approve of such behavior?!"

"I'm not my friends' keeper," replied Remus.

"They were behaving like idiots," continued Lily.

"Don't insult my friends in front of my, Lily," Remus said, a warning tone rising in his voice.

"I didn't mean to insult them. But that doesn't excuse their behavior-"

"If it bothered you so much, why didn't you stop them or tell a professor?"

Lily paused. She hadn't been expecting this remark. "I could have," she regained her composure quickly, though, "but I didn't see any. I thought they'd listen to you before any of the professors or me, though."

"It's not my place."

Lily blinked in surprise. "Are you afraid to confront them? They wouldn't drop your friendship over that, would they?!"

"No, of course not," he answered. "I just think you're turning this into more than it is."

"Why are you even friends with them, then?! You're nothing like them!" Lily's voice lost the concerned tone it had bore before.

"I wasn't aware you couldn't be friends with people different than you," Remus glared slightly at her, not caring remotely for where the conversation was taking them.

"You're right," Lily said quickly, "but if they ever pressure you into something you don't want to do or you have to do something to remain friends with them, you're always welcome to-"

"I do have a mind of my own, Evans! I can handle my mates! And I don't know where you've gotten the impression I've been forced into their company!"

"We'll be playing Exploding Snap in the Common Room tonight. If you could join us-"

"I already have plans," Remus interrupted.

"In other words they won't let you abandon them for the night?"

"I didn't say that! How about you join us tonight instead? You can see they aren't horrible people holding me hostage."

The tables had been turned. "What?!"

"I'm not lying about having plans. And since you're so concerned about why I spend my time with, why don't you join us? Unless, of course, _your friends_ won't let you abandon them for the night," remarked Remus. "I can promise it will be more exciting than Exploding Snap."  
Remus successfully hid his smirk as he watched the gears in her mind slowly turn. His proposal had definitely sparked her interest.

"Fine, I'll come," she replied to his challenge.

"Great. I'll meet you outside the Common Room at eleven o'clock sharp tonight. Dress warmly, we'll be going outside."

"Outside?!" Lily repeated.

"Yes. Are you still coming?" he was teasing her. The Gryffindor in her refused to allow him think she was frightened. And she certainly didn't want him thinking that.

"Yes!" she stood up and stomped away.

* * *

Remus was so bogged down with homework that he decided to stay inside and finish it rather than attend the Quidditch match. He had never been a huge fan of Quidditch, but feigned mild interest when around his friends, all of whom were huge fans themselves.

As he finished writing his last essay, a great cheer came from outside the Fat Lady's portrait. He knew that when all of the students came in celebrating, he would be unable to finish. And so he quickly collected all of his books and papers and ran the up to their dormitory. He shoved everything under his bed and went down to Common Room again, where the entire Gryffindor house was celebrating its victory over Slythering. Remus scanned the heads for his friends and soon spotted the curly top of Peter.

The party continued well on into the night until McGonagall dismissed it and sent all of the students off the bed. Of course, the four boys had their own plans.

Remus told James, Sirius, and Peter to go ahead of him while he finished his essay. Sirius rolled his eyes, but the three left. Five minutes later, Remus was done with his homework and descended the stairs to the Common Room. He opened the Fat Lady's portrait hole and climbed through the other side, where he quickly spotted Lily waiting for him.

"You're five minutes late," Lily smirked.

Remus shrugged. "It doesn't really matter unless we're not there at twelve sharp."

"But I had to be punctually on time?"

"Remus shrugged again, smiling playfully at her.

"Where are the other, then?"

"Waiting for us outside. Come one, but we have to be extremely quiet or Filch or somebody will catch us," Remus instructed. Lily nodded.

The two walked swiftly through the halls and thankfully didn't run into a soul, not even a Hogwarts ghost. As they slipped outside onto the grounds, the chilly air nipped them and penetrated through their clothes easily. It was dark and foggy, the moon only partly visible. They just spotted the three at the edge of the Forbidden Forest because of their lit wands.

"What's Evans doing here?" James asked suspiciously.

"You didn't tell them I was coming?!" Lily asked Remus with equal suspicion.

"I told Sirius to tell James," Remus stated calmly.

"Oh right!" Sirius grinned. "Remus invited Evans, James."

"Thanks for telling me, Sirius. I really appreciate it," James rolled his eyes sarcastically. "I suppose she has to come now. Lets go."

James led the way into the Forbidden Forest, but Lily remained rooted to her place.

"We aren't going in there, are we?" she asked.

"Uh…yes," James nodded.

"Why? Scared, Evans?!" Sirius teased.

"No!" And to prove her point, she was the first one in the Forbidden Forest.

James led the way through the trees, sided by Sirius. They spoke to one another in hushed tones. Peter struggled to keep up with the two; they were walking quickly. His eyes would dart to the left and right of the path, as if waiting for something to attack him. Remus and Lily brought up the rear of the party, neither speaking a word to the other. Lily still seemed apprehensive, though she was trying to hide it.

"Don't worry. We've been through here before," Remus commented. Lily nodded nervously.

A loud screeching noise caught them off of their guard as a large creature swooped down on them. They all dropped to the forest floor, covering their heads, for it had flown rather low.

"Hoot! Hoot!"

"It's only an owl!" James exclaimed, pointing to the tree branch the bird had perched on. They all laughed about it, but kept closer together than they had before, this time James chatting with Lily and Sirius with Peter. They continued this way, as the trees became thicker and less light mad it through. James then led them off of the path they had been following, straight into an area of shrubs and thorns. They each complained to themselves as the thorns tore their skin and twigs caught themselves in their hair.

"Are you sure we're going the right way?" Lily asked suspiciously.

"Positive," James nodded as he cleared the shrubs and thorns. He stopped, as did Sirius, Peter, and Lily. Remus was the last one to pass through the shrubs and thorns, but once he did, he stopped with them and stared in awe.

Straight in front of them was a large patch of flowers, all of the same sort. But these were no ordinary flowers, for they all glowed and twinkled with the colors of the rainbow.

"Whoa," Peter stared at them, dumbstruck.

"Sit down," James nodded toward a log placed front row and center, as if for them. They all sat on it and waited patiently for James.

"What is this?" lily asked.

"Watch!" James pointed to the flowers. They all looked at them again as they began shooting seed pods up into the air that exploded in bright colors, sending the colorful, fluorescent sees everywhere. It was like their own private firework show, though without so much percussion as the pods only made a small popping noise when they exploded.

"Where'd you hear about this?" Peter asked James, never taking his eyes off of the sparkles for a second.

"My dad told me about them and where to find them," James explained. "It's their way of pollinating. It's always at midnight during the second week of October.

"Of course you can imagine my mum was less that pleased when she found out he told me," James added, laughing.

They continued to watch their tiny fireworks for another hour until they were done. Disappointed it was over, they all stood up to stretch from sitting so still in the cold for so long.

"Stay close," James ordered, and the five walked through the shrubs and thorns again. The path started right at the end of that, too, and they began walking back to Hogwarts. It had grown even foggier since they left and so they walked in a single file line: James in the front, Lily in the back.

"So what did you think, Lily?" Remus asked her, but she never replied. "Lily?" he asked again. Nothing. He turned around to see what was wrong, but she wasn't there.

"Lily!" No one answered. "Guys, Lily's…." he turned around again, but only Peter was there. "Where are James and Sirius?"

Peter shrugged. "They were here until I turned around to see what was the matter with you."

"They couldn't have gone far and besides, they know their way. We need to find Lily," Remus stated. He and Peter started in the reverse direction, calling out for their lost companion.

Lily screamed. They ran to help her, worried of what may have found her. They only hoped they weren't too late.

They found her sitting on the ground, her back facing them. James and Sirius were there, too, laughing.

"That wasn't funny!" she snapped up at them, pulling her foot out of the tree root.

"Lily, there you are! You must have veered off the path or something. Are you alright?" Remus asked as he began to help her up.

She shoved him away and stood on her own. "Am I alright? Am I alright?! Ask Potter and Black!" She didn't wait for Remus's response, but ran away from the boys. They protested that she come back so they could help her safely find her way out of the forest, but she ignored them.

"What did you do?" Remus turned and quickly faced them angrily, his wand raised at them.

"We just snuck up on her a bit. Nothing really," James answered, looking warily at the poised and ready wand. Sirius nodded.

Peter looked back and forth between the two parties, not sure whom he should side with.

Still glaring at the pair, Remus lowered his wand and silently led the group out of the forest.

* * *

Remus met Lily in the Great Hall the next morning. He sighed and sat down across from her. "Lily, I'm sorry about what happened last night, but I hope you understand it was only a joke."

"Well it wasn't very funny."

Remus sighed. "If I would have known they would do that, do you honestly believe I wouldn't have stopped them?"

"I don't know what I can believe from you anymore," she frowned at him, truly hurt.

"It was nothing personal, they're just like that. No harm done-"

"'No harm done?!' I could have twisted my ankle! I thought something had eaten you all!" Lily hissed.

"The dark creatures of the forest generally leave students alone, as long as they don't bother them," Remus corrected.

Lily rolled her eyes.

Remus sighed again. "So you're angry then?"

She stood up, breakfast unfinished. "Obviously, Lupin." She walked away.

* * *

**A/N- Harry Potter and friends and everything else you recognize do not belonging to me as they are the property and creations of J.K. Rowling. **


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